Figuring It Out
by BytesTheDust
Summary: AU. Sequel to The Bakery. With a six-month-old and a new marriage, Olivia and Fitz navigate life with their family and their businesses. It's not perfect, but they work hard to try to figure it all out.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Don't even ask how I started this sequel so soon, because I don't even know lol! **

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><p>"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaa," Fitz heard as he walked through the corridors of his home. He smiled at the distinct sounds of his daughter as he searched for his wife and child. When he didn't see them in the kitchen or living room of their D.C. home, he knew they were in Charlotte's nursery.<p>

"Rmaaaaaaaa," he heard once more as he entered Charlotte's room. Charlotte was standing on Olivia's lap as she held Olivia's much larger fingers. She giggled and babbled whenever Olivia made a funny noise, bouncing her chubby legs on Olivia's thighs. Olivia was all smiles as she played with her daughter amused by Charlotte's laughter.

"Oh my little butterball, you're standing for mommy," Olivia beamed adoringly at her precious six-month-old. Neither Olivia nor Charlotte noticed Fitz's presence in the doorway.

"What are my girls doing?" Fitz asked as he moved towards the pair.

Olivia gasped and turned her head, a gesture that made Charlotte giggle even more. She kept her eyes on her mother as Olivia noticed her husband.

"Hi," she greeted, leaning her head up when he was close enough, puckering her lips for a kiss.

"Hi," he responded after pressing his lips on hers. He kissed the top of Charlotte's head, which went completely unnoticed by the infant.

"Look. She's standing," Olivia said as Charlotte continued to clutch Olivia's fingers for balance as she continued to stand on her mother's thighs.

"I see that. She's going to be crawling before you know it."

"Oh honey, you should have seen her a few minutes ago. She gets up on her hands and knees and just moves back and forth in place. She wants to go so badly. But her army crawl is pretty impressive."

"Let's savor these moments because once she's on the move. There will be no stopping her. Isn't that right, princess? You're going to be nonstop aren't you?" he said as reached to pick her up.

Now fully noticing her father, she shook with excitement, squirming as he held her. He kissed her cheek and took in her perfect baby smell.

"I know. I wish I could just keep her this size forever," Olivia replied.

"Can you believe it's been six months?" he asked as he bounced Charlotte in his arms.

"I honestly can't," she said, standing to take Charlotte from him. "Meeting you, butterball," she started and then kissed her baby's plump cheeks, "was the greatest day of my entire life."

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><p><em>Flashback<em>

"_Remember your breathing. In and out," Fitz coached as he held his wife's hand. _

_Olivia cut him a look, an icy glare. "Remember to go suck a dick. In and out," she retorted quickly. He was annoying her to pieces. Everyone in the room was irritating her beyond belief. It was her tenth hour of labor, and she didn't think she could stand another minute of it. Her labor was so sudden she didn't have time for an epidural. She had never been more miserable. _

_The nurses and Fitz could only laugh at her remarks, which made her even more furious. _

"_Oh so you think this is Def Comedy Jam? Will it still be funny when I smack the shit out of you for doing this to me?" she said, letting go of his hand. _

_And when a sudden, sharp pain coursed through her body, her anger dissipated and a new set of tears formed again. _

_She went from hating Fitz's coddling to needing his support in an instance. She closed her eyes as her tears fell and then opened them desperately in search of Fitz who was still close by despite her cold remarks. He grabbed her hand and leaned down to kiss her sweaty forehead. _

"_Baby, you're doing so great. It's going to be okay."_

"_It hurts so badly," she whined as she squeezed his hand relentlessly. "Aaaaaaah," she yelled. _

"_I know. But it's almost over, sweetheart. You're almost there. Charlotte's almost here."_

_She nodded her head in agreement. That gave her the motivation she needed. She would be able to hold her precious baby girl soon._

"_Just a few more good pushes, Olivia. You're almost there," her doctor, Dr. Sinclair, said. _

"_Push like you're having a bowel movement," a nurse instructed._

"_I'm not pooping on my baby. Please don't let me shit on my baby, Fitz," she requested desperately as if he seriously had any control over it. _

_Trying to hold back hysterical laughter, he replied, "You're not going to poop on the baby." _

_He attempted to look past her knees to get a glimpse of what was happening. _

"_Fitz!" she yelled. "You said you wouldn't look down there! Don't look down there," she said in distress. _

"_I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he said, pushing a tendril off of her wet forehead. "Try to relax, baby. We're almost there."_

"_She's crowning," her doctor alerted the room. "Olivia, I need you to stop pushing," Dr. Sinclair instructed so that she needed to examine the placement of the umbilical cord._

"_Oh my fucking god," she yelled as she felt the strangest burning sensation. "OH GOD!" she screamed. "Is this real? Are you kidding me?" she yelled in complete shock over the pain she felt. _

"_Breathe, baby. Just breathe. Inhale slowly," Fitz instructed like they learned in the childbirth classes Olivia forced them to attend. _

"_She's almost here. Her head is out," the nurse said. "Now, we just need a few more big pushes, Olivia."_

_Squeezing her husband's hand, she pushed as hard as she could. "You're doing so great," Fitz assured her as he reached for a cold cloth and placed it on the back of her neck._

_Exhausted, she threw her head back and let out a heavy sigh. She could not believe how tremendous and consistent the pain was. _

_She looked over at Fitz who was staring at her intently. He kissed her hand. "It's just you and me here, Livvie. Just look at me while you push."_

"_PUSH," her doctor yelled. _

_Letting out a loud bellow, she looked to her husband while squeezing his hand and pushed even harder than the time prior._

_High pitched shrieks filled the room as Charlotte Rose made her entrance in the world. They watched as the doctor held up their baby girl. With tears in her eyes, Olivia reached for her newborn baby, still covered in after birth. A nurse unbuttoned the top of Olivia's gown so that her skin was partially exposed and placed Charlotte on her chest. Instinctively, Olivia gently cradled her daughter, soothingly stroking her head and back as the nurse cleaned her up. She grazed her tiny little fingers as the nurse used __a bulb syringe to remove fluids from Charlotte's nose and mouth. _

_The doctor, nurses, and Fitz were speaking around her, but she heard nothing but her precious baby's cries. It was as if her heart expanded in an instant, filled with overwhelming, unconditional love and joy. Charlotte Rose Grant was perfection._

_Before she realized it, Fitz was cutting the umbilical cord, bringing her back to the reality of the moment. "She's here," Olivia finally spoke with her tears spilling over. "She's perfect," she said, looking to her husband and then back at the baby on her chest._

"_She's perfect," Fitz agreed with tears in his eyes as well._

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><p>Olivia walked with Charlotte in her arms to the changing table. She laid her down on her back to change her diaper. Olivia blew a raspberry on her tiny foot, eliciting a fit of giggles from the baby. She squirmed with excitement as her mother played with her.<p>

"So, we have two interviews for the nanny position tomorrow," Olivia said to Fitz as she removed the dirty diaper.

"Tomorrow? I thought we rescheduled them."

"We did reschedule for this week, babe. One is at 11:30 and the second is at 1:30. Then, we have a daycare visit."

"A daycare visit? I thought we decided against daycare so early," he replied, feeling even more out of the loop.

"We did. But it's for the waiting list. Even if she doesn't start for another year or two, we need to be put on the waiting list. Besides, I want to check them out and see what they offer."

"You're probably going to have to do that by yourself, honey. Unfortunately I'm flying to Atlanta tomorrow morning. Something just came up."

"Fitz," she said, turning to face him. "You're kidding right? The entire reason we postponed last week was so you could be here, too. I don't want to do this by myself. I want you there, too."

He shrugged. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. But I just can't get out of this."

"You do know that we have family pictures two days later right? Can you make sure you're home for that? Karen and Jerry will be home."

"I will be home for those. I promise," he said moving beside her to kiss her forehead.

"You better be," she said as she sat Charlotte up on the changing table. She was just learning to sit up by herself, but hadn't quite mastered it without teetering over yet. Olivia held her by her hands as to assist her. "Say 'Daddy, you better be home.'" As if on cue, Charlotte babbled enthusiastically at her father.

Olivia undressed her daughter, taking her out of her sleeveless dress and putting her into a onesie. She took a moment to take in her baby girl's face, which seemed to change daily. Her bright, hazel orbs, which she inherited from her paternal grandmother, were entrancing. She removed Charlotte's head band. Her dark brown, curly locks were even more spiraled and defined than her mothers. Olivia knew it wasn't just mother's bias; her daughter was a gorgeous baby. Strangers stopped her all the time to tell her how beautiful her baby was. She always beamed with pride at the compliment.

Charlotte yawned while her mother fiddled over her attire and got her changed. "Did grandma wear you out today, lady bug?" Olivia asked as she picked her up off the changing table. She took her to her rocking chair and held her closely.

"Was your mother sad to leave her?" Fitz asked.

"Oh she was pretty wrecked. She didn't stop crying once at the airport. She's been such a huge help the last three months."

After Olivia's maternity leave was over, Maya agreed to come to D.C. and help out with the baby. Both Olivia and Fitz were hesitant about her offer. But the moment they saw Charlotte and Maya together, they knew that it was a great idea. Maya was so loving and nurturing towards her granddaughter. Five days out of the week, Maya was in D.C. staying in their guest room and helping Olivia and Fitz with the baby when they were working. This arrangement also allowed Olivia to bond with her father, a relationship that changed tremendously within the last year and half. Their relationship wasn't perfect, but it was getting better. Her arrangement with her mother wasn't long-term. Her father was anxious to have his wife back in New York on a regular basis, which is why Fitz and Olivia needed to move fast in hiring a nanny.

"What are we having for dinner tonight?" Fitz asked.

"I think sweet potatoes," she answered as she went from cradling Charlotte on her chest to placing her on her lap. "We like sweet potatoes," she replied as she bounced her baby on her lap. "Mom actually puréed some earlier, and she tried them for the first time. Babe, the look on her face was priceless, like she'd just encountered a gold mine. She was so excited she started rocking herself back and forth in the high chair."

Fitz smiled at her story. He hated when he missed moments like that. "I was talking about us," he replied.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, "Oh," Olivia responded quietly. Olivia would be the first to admit that she had a one track mind lately, and it revolved around Charlotte. Charlotte consumed every bit of her. She thought about her incessantly from the time she woke up until she went to bed. Every conversation revolved around Charlotte, which she figured, as a new mom, was normal. She loved her daughter beyond measure, and she loved being a mother more than she could have ever imagined. It seemed fitting that Charlotte was always in her thoughts.

"I didn't have time to prepare anything because I was with her all day. I didn't have time to go to the store either, but I could order something. I'm sorry," she replied. Though Fitz was not the type to care or even expect his wife to have dinner made when he got home from work, especially considering that she worked as well, Olivia still couldn't help but feel like she was neglecting him lately.

"Don't be sorry. You're busy that's okay. I'll order something for us. Chinese sound okay?"

She would never understand how she got so lucky with her husband. The moment she felt guilty and neglectful, he unknowingly put her ease. "Perfect," she replied with a huge smile.

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><p>Fitz and Olivia sat beside each other, resting quietly against the headboard of their bed. After eating takeout, feeding Charlotte and putting her to bed, they caught up on the news in the living room. Olivia made it a point that night to actively spend time with him and converse with him about things outside of Charlotte. While he was reading the sports column on his iPad, she was reread an edition <em>of To Kill a Mockingbird <em>she found in her ex-mother-in-law Lorraine's book collection.

She sighed in contentment as she read one of her favorite stories. It always made her feel good.

"What?" Fitz asked, noticing her reaction.

"Oh nothing. This book is just so good."

He looked at the cover, and asked, "What's it about?"

She raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "You've never read _To Kill a Mockingbird?_"

"Nope."

"How is that possible? It's required in like every high school across America."

"Never read it."

"That is wholly un-American. It's a classic. You weren't required to read it?"

"I probably was. Honestly, I wasn't very studious. I never read required books."

"How did you pass English?"

"Cheated," he answered bluntly.

"Fitz!" she chastised.

"What? It's the truth," he said with a laugh. "I had special arrangements. Amy Patterson helped me with book reports, and I gave her my packed lunches."

She laughed. "That is just awful."

"What can I say? People will do a lot for one of Judy's famous PB&Js. She makes her own peanut butter you know?"

"Really? I didn't know that."

"It's the best. I should get her to send you some. We could have PB&J night."

"I've never had PB&J."

"Yes you have," he said with conviction.

"No. I haven't."

"You have. I've seen you eat them!" he exclaimed in an accusatory tone.

Taken aback by his disapproving, zealous reaction, "Settle down, Judge Judy," she replied. How are you going to tell me what food I've eaten?" she questioned with a laugh. "I can assure you I haven't."

"You eat peanut butter and waffles all the time."

"Which is vastly different than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which I repeat, I've never had."

"And I'm un-American? How is that even possible?"

"I don't know. But I've just never had one. My mom never made them as a kid. And I certainly haven't had one in my adult life."

"What did she pack you?"

"I can't remember. Probably turkey, ham sandwiches. Leftovers from dinner."

"That is just sacrilegious. I can't believe what you're telling me."

"I didn't realize PB&J meant so much to you, babe."

"I might have to suspend your American card."

"Says the man who hasn't watched _The God Father_, an episode of the Brady Bunch or tried chicken pot pie."

"Chicken pot pie makes no sense whatsoever. Anything with pie in the name should be sweet. You should know."

"Oh I should know?"

"You're the expert on sweet things," he said suggestively as he pulled her body down the bed, so that she was lying with her head on the pillow, flat on her back. The double entendre wasn't lost on either of them.

Giggling, "So cheesy!" she replied as he pushed her further into the bed and hovered over her.

"You like it."

"I like _you_," she corrected.

"Prove it," he said smugly.

She immediately lifted her head from the pillow so that their mouths could meet, allowing the tips of their tongues to touch before their lips. She wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning into his mouth, as he slid his hands up and down the sides of her body. He pulled away from their impassioned kiss to bury his head in her neck.

"Your skin's so soft," he whispered into her neck before kissing the column. She smiled at his comment and cradled his head, digging her fingers through his hair. "You smell amazing," he added through peppered kisses. "And I need to be inside of you," he said after biting the skin of neck.

She lifted slightly as he kissed her neck to slide her silk pajama shorts down. When they were half way down her thighs, he reached down to feel her wetness. The moment she called out to him, they heard familiar cries from the baby monitor on her nightstand.

She sighed in frustration and attempted to push his head away, but his lips didn't move away from the spot on her neck. "Fitz," she protested softly as their baby's cries filled the room. He groaned and moved from on top of her. They peeked at the digital video monitor and saw Charlotte wailing in her crib.

She quickly pulled her shorts up and hopped out of bed. "I don't know why she's crying. She's been sleeping through the night lately," she commented, rushing out the door. Fitz sat up on the bed, patiently waiting for his wife to return. He heard the moment Olivia entered the nursery.

His wife's voice now permeated their bedroom through the speaker. "Hi, butterball," he heard through the monitor. Charlotte's cries stopped as soon as she heard Olivia's voice. Her figure came into view on the screen.

He watched them closely from the monitor. Seeing them bond was one of his favorite things to watch. Olivia was so amazing and natural with their daughter. "What's the matter, sweet pea?" she asked as she picked her up from her crib. The pair went out of view from the camera. He assumed that Olivia had walked her to the rocking chair while cradling her close to her chest.

"Are you hungry? Do you want a midnight snack?" he heard.

They were trying to wean her off of nighttime feedings, but sometimes Charlotte woke up out of habit. When Fitz could only faintly hear them through the monitor, he knew that Olivia was nursing their baby. He figured she was probably stroking her hair and humming to her the way, her normal way of soothing her.

"Mommy loves you, Charlotte Rose. So much," he heard through the monitor a few minutes later. It made his heart swell knowing, feeling, and sharing the deep sincerity of her words.

Twenty minutes later, Olivia was standing at the door frame of their bedroom.

"I'm gonna grab a snack from the kitchen and set the alarm. Do you want anything?" she asked.

"Glass of water would be great," he replied.

"Okay," she said with a smile.

She quickly walked down the hall and down the stairs. After such a long discussion about peanut butter, the condiment with banana or crackers sounded good. As soon as she entered the foyer, she heard keys rattling in the front door. Immediately alarmed, her beat rate picked up instantaneously. She took a step back from the door. "Fiii-" she started to call at the exact moment that the lock turned.

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><p><strong>AN: I just had to leave it there. We will pick up right where this left out in the next chapter. I hope you liked this chapter. As promised, I flashed back to Charlotte's delivery, which was very fun to write. This chapter is really just introducing Charlotte and showing the new dynamics of their relationship. They're the same (bickering over PB&amp;J), but naturally not the same. Not really sure where this story is going to go, but I hope y'all are down for the ride. Let me know what you think! <strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you to all of you who followed, favorited or reviewed this story and my last story! **

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><p>The front door opened, and much to Olivia's surprise Karen appeared in the doorway. Karen, equally shocked to be greeted by Olivia so suddenly, jumped and screamed.<p>

Olivia grabbed her chest, trying to get her bearings. "What are you doing here?!" she asked in utter confusion.

"Geez, Liv," Karen said, catching her breath. "I thought everyone would be sleeping."

"What are you doing here? You should be at school," Olivia replied sharply.

Karen rolled her eyes and sighed. "Can I come in?"

Olivia moved out of the way to let her in. Once she was in the foyer, Karen dropped a duffle bag on the ground. "I am starved," she said casually, moving to the kitchen.

"Karen, seriously, why aren't you at school? Are you on break?" Olivia asked, following her to the kitchen, turning on the lights.

"I just got a little homesick and decided to come back. That's all," she explained with frustration.

"You got a little homesick?" Olivia questioned. "Honey, is everything okay? How did you even get here? Did you drive here from New York? Did you fly?"

"I had a friend rent a car for me, and I drove."

"You drove here from New York in the middle of the night without telling anyone you were coming?" Olivia asked, trying to make sense of it all.

"It wasn't the middle of the night. I left this evening, and I got stuck in a little bit of traffic," she said a she dug through the fridge and started to make a sandwich. "And my roommate knew I was coming."

"It's Wednesday. Don't you have class for the rest of the week? You aren't supposed to be here until Friday night."

"Liv, I know you're surprised I'm here, but do you think you could finish your interrogation in the morning. I'm really tired," she said as she plated her sandwich and grabbed a bag of chips from the pantry.

"You can't just show up here in the middle of the night and expect me to not have…"

"Karen, sweetheart, what are you doing here?" Fitz interrupted. He waltzed into the kitchen shirtless in his pajama pants only expecting to find his wife. "And what the hell is wrong with your hair?" he asked.

Now that they were in the light of the kitchen, Olivia noticed Karen's hair for the first time. Karen's hair, which was pulled up in a high bun, was dyed a darker shade of brown and was full of purple streaks.

She rolled her eyes at the hair comment. "I was just a little homesick, and I wanted to see my family. I didn't realize it was such a criminal act," she replied. "I'm really tired, so I'm going to call it a night. Love you both. Night," she said as she walked out of the kitchen and up to her bedroom, leaving both Fitz and Olivia completely speechless.

"Karen," he called out after her.

"Night dad," she yelled from the foyer.

"What the hell is going on right now?" he said to Olivia still completely confused. "Why the hell is she home from school so early? I thought she was flying in on Friday."

"I don't know. I thought the same thing. Maybe her classes were cancelled."

"We get one daughter down and another just pops up," he joked.

Olivia went back to her original task of grabbing a banana and peanut butter to dip it in, a snack that Fitz was not fond of. She poured him a tall glass of ice water and handed it to him.

"Should we be worried about this unexpected visit? She drove herself here from the City."

"No. I think it's fine. She probably just misses us."

Fitz was unexpectedly nonchalant about Karen's sudden arrival in town. Olivia tried to adopt his same demeanor, but something about it felt off. Not wanting to push the issue, she finished her banana, cleaned up Karen's mess and grabbed her husband's hand.

"Let's go to bed," she said. He set the alarm and turned off the lights. Hand-in-hand, he left the room with his wife.

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><p>Six hours later, Olivia found herself in her bra and panties with a baby on her hip trying to finish getting dressed. She showered and straightened her hair before anyone else was awake. Charlotte woke up earlier than usual that morning, so she fed her before she could finish getting dressed. Going in and out of her walk-in closet, she attempted to get ready for the day. She placed Charlotte in her bouncer while she rummaged through her wardrobe. As Charlotte started to learn her own voice, it amazed Olivia how loud someone so tiny could be. Her strident babbling in the morning had become Fitz's alarm clock. Like clockwork, her random string of syllables woke up her father.<p>

"Charlotte Rose, did you bring me my paper?" Fitz jokingly asked with his eyes still shut.

As if she were holding a real conversation, she babbled in response.

"I know you just woke up, butterball, but did you at least start the coffee?" he continued their faux conversation.

She squealed before becoming distracted by a soft toy Olivia placed in her hands.

"We were talking, you know," he said to his wife.

Olivia playfully rolled her eyes. "As you do every other morning, but you need to shower and pack. We forgot to do it last night. I checked your calendar, and you're flight is at 9."

"I'm pretty sure I have clothes in Buckhead."

"You don't anymore. They were all summer suits and ties. I had them shipped back here, dry cleaned, and put back in this closet. We'll have to shop for winter clothes to leave there."

He rolled out of bed as Olivia put on a shirt. He quickly entered the bathroom to shower and shave. When he exited the bathroom, Olivia was fully dressed and making up their bed as their daughter watched from the bouncer. Still in his towel, he quietly came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, and kissed the back of her neck.

"Good morning," he said, realizing that they hadn't properly greeted each other.

She turned around in his arms, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Morning, baby."

He looked at her face, which had all the traces of being tired.

"You need sleep," he pointed out.

She shrugged in response.

"I'm serious, Liv. Four, five hours a night isn't cutting it."

"Well your butterball needs sustenance."

"I can feed her." he suggested. Charlotte's feeding schedule was a back and forth conversation they had for months now.

She rubbed his bare chest with her hands and pinched his nipples. "It doesn't look like you've gained the ability to lactate, so no you can't."

"We've gone over this. You pump. I can give her a bottle. She's starting solids now. I can do that."

"I like nursing her in the morning. She likes getting nursed in the morning. It's a good start to our day. I want to do it while I can because in a few more months. I'm not going to be able to do it anymore."

He sighed and kissed her fully on the lips. "You need sleep," he urged again after pulling away.

When he was dressed, he picked up his daughter as he moved around the room trying to pack.

The color of Fitz's tie attracted Charlotte's eye. She used her new found grip to pull at it, refusing to let it go.

"This little one has a death grip."

"That she does. She completely pulled my earrings out of my ear yesterday. She's not a joke with those tiny hands."

Folding his lips over his teeth, he pretended to eat Charlotte's hand, adding a gobbling noise for effect. She thought it was hilarious, letting out a storm of giggles. She was such a happy baby, and it was so easy to make her laugh or smile. If you smiled at her, she smiled right back. Charlotte took her free hand and pulled at her father's nose unknowing of how strong her grasp was. He faked a scream, which came out louder than even he expected, surprising Charlotte completely. Startled by his yelp, she burst into tears.

"Aww Char, daddy's sorry," he tried to console her. "Daddy, didn't mean to scare you, sweet pea," he added as he cradled her. He bounced her in his arms and she nuzzled her head in his neck once she was settled down.

"Don't scare my baby," Olivia said lightheartedly as she picked up Charlotte's toys from their floor. Despite how tired she was, and apparently looked, Olivia had never been happier. These types of mornings had become routine. With a healthy, happy baby and loving husband, her life felt complete.

* * *

><p>With Charlotte comfortably strapped to her chest in her baby carrier, Olivia straightened up the kitchen as she waited for her second interview of the day. Appearing out of seemingly nowhere, Karen bounced into the kitchen still in pajamas.<p>

"She's alive," Olivia greeted sarcastically. Karen simply gave her a weak smile in return.

"So to what do we owe the pleasure of your surprise visit?"

"I told you, I was just home sick, so I came a few days early."

"Okay," Olivia replied, still unconvinced. "How's school going? Are you still loving NYU?"

"It's fine."

"Do you get to see Jerry often? He's only an hour and a half away."

"I see him pretty regularly."

She was being unusually short. But Olivia needed a favor, so she ignored it.

"Well since you're here, do you think you could keep an eye on your sister for an hour or so? I have an interview in a few minutes."

"Of course. I'd love to. I've missed being so close to her," she said cheerfully. "Who are you interviewing? I thought you already filled my position."

"Oh it's not for the bakery. We did fill your spot. But this is for Char's nanny."

"How's the new girl working out?" she asked.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "She's been late twice already. I'm going to have to fire her."

"I told you. I'm irreplaceable." Karen was starting to seem like her old self again. Interrupting their conversation, they heard a knock on the door.

"That's probably her," Olivia said as she took Charlotte out of the carrier and passed her to Karen. Charlotte immediately started crying leaving her mother.

"Uh oh. She's not happy," Karen said as she tried to adjust her sister in her arms.

Olivia sighed. "She's starting to get separation anxiety. I should probably let you keep her to break her of it, but I don't want the nanny to think…" she started and then paused. "Ugh whatever. Just give her to me," she said taking the baby out of Karen's grasp.

When she was back in her mom's arms, she stopped crying. "Charlotte, you can't be this way. It's your sister and she just wants to love on you too," she explained as she moved to answer the door.

She gave her daughter a big smile to see if she would return the gesture. Charlotte smiled at her mom, looking at ease to be with her. She was so beautiful and so adorable it was hard to be frustrated with her.

She finally opened the door to meet her interviewee.

"Hi!" she greeted as she opened the door. "You must be Shirley."

"Hello," the middle-aged woman responded. "Yes. I'm Shirley. It' nice to meet you."

"I'm Olivia. And this is Charlotte. It's nice to meet you, too. Come on in," she said cheerfully as she extended her free hand.

She walked them to their formal living room and motioned for her to have a seat on the couch in front of her.

Once Charlotte was comfortably seated in her lap, she pulled out her iPad. She was not one for small talk with potential job candidates, so jumped right into it.

"So you how long have you been working with children?" Olivia asked.

"Honestly, all of my life. I come from a big family. I'm the middle child of twelve, so it was an all hands on deck situation in our household with children taking care of children. My first paying child care job was at sixteen. I babysat one my teacher's children. I've been doing it ever since."

"Have you worked in daycares or has it always been a one-on-one situation?"

"I worked at a daycare for ten years. I loved it, but personally, I feel more effective as a child care provider when there are fewer children."

"How many children are you comfortable caring for at one time?"

"It's not that I'm uncomfortable with multiple children. It's just that I think children respond better without the distraction of multiple kids. That said, my last position started with one child and expanded to three."

"And why did that position end?"

"Their eldest child went to kindergarten, and they no longer required a full time nanny."

"How do you typically discipline a child?"

"Discipline is tricky, and as I nanny it's important that I follow the lead of the parents. Every parent is different. I've worked with parents who wanted a very authoritarian type of discipline, to parents who preferred behavior modification. A lot of it also depends on the child. I think you have another six months to a year before you have to incorporate discipline into her daily routine."

Olivia liked that answer, and if Charlotte's squeals where any indication, she did too. She had a few more questions but Charlotte was starting to get restless. More than question asking, she wanted to meet her candidates and get a good feel for them. She liked Shirley's demeanor. Wanting to see how Charlotte reacted to her, she passed her the baby. Surprisingly, Charlotte didn't cry.

"Follow me to the kitchen," Olivia said.

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"No thank you," Shirley answered.

"How often are you available to travel?"

"My children are grown now, so I'm very flexible in that regard." Olivia paid close attention to how she reacted to Charlotte. Shirley seemed attentive and nurturing in the few short minutes they were together. They discussed the position for another forty-five minutes before Olivia wrapped it up. She would have never guessed it prior to her interviews, but she was excited and a little relived to have some help with Charlotte. She would love to spend all day with her daughter, but it just wasn't possible when she had two bakeries with two full staffs that depended on her. She also loved her job, and that didn't change when she had a child. But knowing that with careful selection her daughter would be in great hands, she felt at ease with her decision to go back to work full-time.

* * *

><p>"Hi, Mrs. Grant," Fitz greeted his wife on the phone. After a long day of work, Fitz needed to decompress. He also wanted to catch up with the nanny interviews.<p>

"Hi."

"How'd the interviews go?

"Great. I'm going to hire the last one."

"Oh. Were you going to discuss it with me first before making a decision?"

"We're talking about it now. If you were here, you'd get more of say, but considering that you're not, I have to make this one by myself," she replied. She was trying not to sound bitter about the situation, but it was the truth.

"You don't have to make it without me. Just fill me in. How were they?"

"They were both great. I think it's a matter of personality. Sarah is younger. She's 23. She has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood development. She's fluent in both French and Spanish. She seems very smart."

"What about the second one?"

"She's older. She's 50. She has a ton of experience. She has great ideas on discipline. I think she has an easy going personality. She cooks, and she's willing to travel. We'd have to pay her more because she has so much experience. Charlotte seemed to take to her. I think she's the one."

"How did you get their ages without asking? You do realize that's illegal, right?"

She rolled her eyes. "You do realize this isn't my first rodeo? I always ask my interviewees what their favorite childhood television show was or the first movie they remember seeing in a theater, or their favorite childhood toy…"

"Oh that's good. I should start doing that."

"Anyway, both Sarah and Shirley just came right out with it."

"Did they agree to background checks?"

"They did."

"What about their references?"

"I haven't had a chance to call them, but I'll do that tomorrow. You know this isn't my first hire. I've done a whole hell of it, especially within the past year."

"I know. I just want to make sure they're good people. Did you at least ask them my questions?"

She chuckled before responding, "Babe, I can help you figure out how to get rid of the Lil Wayne radio station on your laptop."

"Did you ask them?" he asked more seriously the second time.

"_'What's your real name not your stripper name?_' is not an appropriate question." After hearing those lyrics in a song a last week on an Internet radio station one of the kids accidentally programmed on his computer, he had been joking for the last few days about asking potential job candidates that question during interviews.

"Fine, but I think it would tell you a lot about a person if they answered it."

"You're silly," she replied.

"I wish I was there. I should have postponed this trip."

"What was so important in Atlanta anyway?"

"The head of that barbecue chain wanted to meet with me in person. He had some concerns with their lack of sales in the last quarter. He of course thinks it has everything to do with their advertising. "

"Well that's a pretty big deal. It was probably for the best that you went. You wouldn't want to lose them."

"He's the worst. At this point, I would be happy to see him go. He always ruins my mood."

"Oh babe, don't let him phase you. You're off work now. You can relax in our beautiful home."

"Without my beautiful wife. Or my beautiful children."

"It's okay. You'll be home tomorrow."

He sighed in frustration, and she knew that he was plenty irritated.

"Once you're back, I'll have your lasagna made for you. And Charlotte and Teddy will be ready to play with you and…"

"I'm going to fuck you senseless," he interrupted.

"Oh. And you're going to fuck me senseless" she repeated, a bit taken aback by his crassness.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I'm going to make love to you. Very carefully and tenderly." he said, clarifying himself.

She laughed at his overcorrection. "That's a shame because I really like it when you fuck me hard and rough against a wall."

"Oh yeah? Remind me of what else you like,"

She sighed, hating that she was going to have to cut their conversation short. "As much I as I would love to, I need to rescue Karen from Charlotte. Or maybe Charlotte from Karen, I don't know. In any case, I've pawned her off for far too long."

"Am I a bad father if I say I completely forgot that Karen came home last night? Did she fill you in on her unexpected visit? What the hell is wrong with her hair?"

"Not at all. She woke up at 1:15 this afternoon, so we didn't get a chance to talk yet."

"What? That's not like her."

"Maybe it's a new college thing. I don't know. I'll try to get more out of her. And I'm not sure about the hair thing, but she's going to need to fix it before our pictures."

"It's pretty awful, but I don't think it's that serious."

"It is to me. These are Charlotte's first pictures."

"These are not her first pictures."

"These are her first pictures with her siblings, and I want them to look good. If you seriously think Karen's going to look back at those photos and think highly of that hair choice ten years later, you are mistaken. She's getting rid of it."

"Please don't make a thing out of this. I don't need her mad at us. And I don't want to deal with hurt feelings."

"I'm not going to make it a _thing_. I'm just going to gently suggest she see my colorist."

He sighed, "We'll talk about this when I get home. I'm going to get ready for bed. I love you."

"I love you, too. Talk to you later, baby."

"Bye, sweetheart"

* * *

><p>"So what's up with you and Zach?" Olivia asked. She and Karen were sitting in the kitchen baking and trying to play catch up. Charlotte had been successfully put down for the night. They had finished their dinner of New York style pizza and were trying a new dipped, lace cookie recipe. Olivia figured it would be a good time to spend some quality time with her, which was few and far in between now that she was a freshman in college. Olivia had no idea what was going on in her life, let alone her relationship with her boyfriend.<p>

Now that Karen was in school, she and Zach were farther apart. His idea of going to mechanic school only lasted a semester. He was now enrolled in a four year university in Virginia. He was a Junior, and things with Karen seemed to be stronger than ever. Both Fitz and Olivia were surprised that their relationship had been steady for two years now.

Karen erupted into tears at the mention of his name. Surprised by her reaction, Olivia moved beside her and embraced her.

"Honey, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"H-He broke u-up with me," she sobbed.

"What? Why? When?" Olivia questioned.

"Last week."

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry. It's going to be okay," she said, rubbing her shoulders and back.

"No it's not. I'm a horrible person."

Though Karen's words were dramatic, she spoke them with such conviction it concerned Olivia. "You're not a horrible person."

"I _am_. It's my fault."

"Whatever happened, honey, it's not all your fault."

Karen pulled away from her. Her nose was runny, and her eyes were puffy and swollen.

"I cheated. I _cheated_ on him, and now he hates me!" she yelled.

Stunned by her admission, Olivia took a moment to figure out what to say. Her heart rate doubled trying to take in what she just heard. It was like Karen grew up in an instance. She was an adult experiencing adult emotions not an angsty teenager having an overreaction to a break up. Olivia had no idea how to react.

"I cheated on a guy who has only been amazing to me, and now he hates me. I just feel so…so…shitty."

"Everyone makes mistakes, Karen. It's okay. It's going to be okay_." Shit, _Olivia thought_. That was so cliché. I'm in over my head. _

"It's not okay. It's not _ever_ going to be okay!" She paused for a moment and wiped her tears with the sleeve her t-shirt. Olivia took that as a cue to grab a box of tissues and bottle of water. She placed the items in front of her. Karen averted her eyes, looking at everything but Olivia. When she finally met Olivia's gaze, she fiddled with her fingers.

"Liv, I'm pregnant," she said quietly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Had to leave it there again. But no worries. I'm almost done with the third chapter. Karen's pregnant! Any guesses on Fitz's reaction? I haven't written it yet, but we'll see in the next chapter. Other than the pregnancy reveal, this chapter is pretty lowkey with the nanny interview, conversations with Fitz and the family getting ready for the day. I'd love your thoughts nonetheless! <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I have to be honest and say, this is going to be a tough story with some tough choices made and tough topics discussed. I know there's a lot of drama on the show, which sometimes seems heavy handed not completely necessary for the show. I know a lot of people read fan fiction to escape that and to find remnants of your favorite show in other people's fiction. That is partly why I decided to write my first fan fiction this year. That being said, I can understand if this story may not be up your ally right now. What I can say, is that unlike the show, I'm not planning to write shocks for shocks sake. Everything that happens in this story is with the hopes that it brings Olivia and Fitz closer together. There will be obstacles in this story. But there will also be lots of love and joy written as well. I'm just trying to find a happy medium between writing things that are interesting and real and writing fluff. As you can imagine, trigger warning, abortion will be discussed in this chapter.**

* * *

><p>Olivia wasn't sure if she heard her right. She's pregnant? That couldn't be right. "You're what?" she asked again.<p>

"Pregnant," she whispered.

"With a…with a child?"

Karen threw her hands up. "With what else?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little shocked," she said as she hopped out of her chair and began pacing the floor of the kitchen. "You're pregnant," she said again, trying to allow the words to sink in. She was so confused and had many questions.

She stopped in her tracks and asked, "How? You're on birth control?"

"I never got my prescription transferred to a pharmacy in New York. Mom was supposed to do it, but she never did, and I never followed up with it."

"So you haven't been taking birth control, but you've been having sex? And you haven't been using condoms."

"Liv, I…"

"That is so irresponsible, and I can't even begin to enumerate the ways."

"I know! Clearly. The worst case scenario happened."

"No. The worst case scenario is contracting some incurable STD. That's the worst possible scenario," she said harshly. "And if you aren't with Zach anymore do you even know whose it is?"

Karen began to cry again, and Olivia immediately felt guilty.

"I'm sorry Karen. I'm just a little confused."

"It's not Zach's," she said confidently.

"How do you know that?"

"Because he won't fuck me. He hasn't touched me in months, and…"

Olivia cut her off. "Listen, I know I'm not your parent, I know I'm just your stepmom, and I know you want to be open with me, and I _want_ you to be open with me, but you can't say stuff like that and expect me not to stroke the fuck out."

"I'm sorry," she said. "Last semester Zach found Jesus. He is a born-again Christian, and he thinks we should abstain from sex until we're married. So, seeing as though we haven't had sex since May, I am confident it is not his baby."

"Whose it it?" she asked nervously, scared to hear the answer.

"Ian Cooper. He's a guy that lives on my hall."

"Are you in a relationship with this boy? Was it a one-time thing?"

"No. We're just friends...with benefits I guess you could say. He really likes me, but I'm with Zach, and I love Zach, and I'm just not into Ian that way."

"I don't understand, Karen. If you love Zach why are you sleeping with Ian?" Even after her split with Edison, her ex-husband, Olivia would never and could never understood cheating.

"I don't know! It just happened. One night he was in my room, and we were drinking…"

"You were drinking. How the hell are you getting alcohol?"

"It's really easy. You just…"

Olivia cut in again. "That is beside the point. Continue with Ian."

"We had a lot to drink one night in my dorm room. We were playing some board game, and it just happened. And then it continued to happen all semester. And now, I'm pregnant."

Olivia sighed. That's all she could do to keep from crying.

"How did Zach find out about you two? Is that why he broke up with you?"

"Yes. He flew to New York last weekend, and he somehow saw this SnapChat on my phone and…"

"What the hell is a chap snap?" Olivia asked, completely confused.

" SnapChat. It's an app where you send photo messages to people," she explained. "Anyway, he found some stuff on my phone and freaked out, and broke up with me, and flew back to Virginia."

"When did you find out you were pregnant?

"Three weeks ago."

"Are you sure you're pregnant?"

"I got blood work done on Monday to be sure."

"Does Ian know?"

"No."

"When are you going to tell him?"

"I'm not," she said as a matter of fact.

"What? Karen, this is not how this works. You don't think he's going to have a few questions when you start showing? He lives on your hall!"

"I'm not having it. I can't keep it."

"Karen, I…"

"I don't know what to do," she said softly. "I don't want his baby. I want to get back with Zach. And Zach will not want me if I'm pregnant, especially with some other guy's baby."

"That's not a reason to get an abortion. To get your ex back? No."

"I'm not doing it to get him back. I'm just stating a fact. I'm 18 years old. I have to finish school. I have to get a good job. I want to be a doctor! I can't do that with a baby. I don't even like kids. Babies don't even like me. Charlotte cried the moment she was in my arms today. But the second you and that nanny lady held her she was fine!"

"First of all, babies don't dislike you. They're barely capable of having those types of feelings. And Charlotte cried because I was leaving the room. She was fine with Shirley because I was still in the room," she tried to explain. "But, honey, you can have the life you want even with a baby…You can have all of those things. You, of all people, are in such a unique position. You have so much support. Financially, you know there's nothing we won't help you with. And we are here for you with whatever you need. This is not the end of the world. We can figure it out."

"So you think I should keep it?"

"I don't…I'm not…I'm saying. I don't know. I think that it's your choice. But if you think that a baby is going to hold you back from pursuing your dreams or if you think it that not having a baby is going to get your boyfriend back, I'm telling you you're wrong."

"I don't want this baby, Liv."

"What are you saying? Do you want an abortion? Are you thinking about adoption?"

"I don't want to carry this baby at all. I don't want a child. I don't want to be connected to Ian for the rest of my life. He's an idiot!"

Overwhelmed, Olivia covered her face with her hands. "Oh god, Karen," she said exhaustedly. This was too much to take.

"Have you told your mom?"

"No. You're the only person that knows."

"Is this why you're here early? To let your parents know?"

Karen scoffed. "No. Absolutely not. Are you kidding? They would kill me."

"Karen, they would be shocked and maybe disappointed, but they would not do anything extreme. They love you. They will support you."

"The only reason I came to town early because I have a doctor's appointment."

"A doctor's appointment? I thought you had one on Monday? You said you got this confirmed."

"Not that kind of doctor."

"An abortion? You have an abortion planned this week?" Olivia whispered in disbelief.

"Tomorrow. I can't have this baby."

Olivia was stunned speechless. She tired to utter a word, but nothing came out.

"Liv, please say something."

"I don't know what to say."

"Anything."

She got lost in her thoughts before speaking. "You know I will support you in any way I know how whether you keep it or if you don't. But if you choose not to have it, you need to be sure. You can't undo something like this."

"I know that. I've thought about this for three weeks!"

"Ultimately, it's your choice. It's your body. I will support you regardless of what you do. But honestly, I think you should tell Ian. I think that's fair even if he disagrees, I think you should tell him. It's his child too."

"I wish I could, but this one is going to the grave. I'm not telling anyone."

"Karen…"

"Are you going to tell my father?"

"I tell him everything."

"I don't want him to know. He will never forgive me. No one in my family would understand except for maybe Aunt Jenna. I hear them talk about this stuff all the time. They would hate me."

"They would not hate you."

"They would not understand. Last Christmas, they argued the constitutionality of _Roe v. Wade_ for hours. You were there. Remember?"

She was right. His very political family was unapologetically conservative, but they weren't unreasonable. Though she could understand Karen's hesitance in being open with her family, she didn't think it was smart to hide something like this from her parents.

"I feel like I'm beating a dead horse, but everyone loves and supports you."

"They will not support this. Please don't tell dad. You can't tell him."

"Don't put me in a position to lie to him. If you can promise me that, I won't tell him. It will be between you and me. It's your body, and your choice. And I'll support you either way. But please promise me you'll really think about this before you do it. Please be sure that this is what you really want. And please promise me that you'll consider telling Ian. Please."

"I will. I will. I promise," she said with tears in her eyes.

Olivia moved to hug her, wrapping her arms around her tightly, she kissed the top of her head.

"I'm so embarrassed," she whispered.

"Don't be. Shit happens. We'll figure it out."

"I'm scared, Liv."

"I know. Me too. But we'll get through it."

* * *

><p>That night, Olivia sat in bed completely restless. She had so many questions and concerns for Karen that hadn't come to mind when they were talking. What clinic was she going to? How was she going to the get there? Was she doing the procedure or taking the pill? Was she ready for this? Was she really sure? What would she have done if she were in Karen's exact situation? She didn't know, but at 18, she was sure it was something she would consider. Should she feel bad for not telling Fitz. She honestly felt no qualms about it. Karen was an adult making adult decisions. This was so deeply personal, and Karen trusted her with this information. If this was something that Karen was sure about, there was no need to tell Fitz. It wouldn't change anything. If she told him and Karen found about it, she would never trust her again.<p>

She had so many thoughts and needed to discuss them with Karen. She figured Karen was asleep, so she opted to send her a text for the morning.

_How are you getting there_? She sent Karen in a text.

Karen immediately responded**, I'm not sure yet. I was planning to drive myself. The nurse recommended that someone drive me though.**

Olivia didn't know how to respond. Before she could reply, Karen added, **Taxi** maybe?

Olivia was not going to let her take a cab to something like this, but she also didn't want to offer to take her. It felt wrong on principle, but she needed Karen to be safe. She needed to know everything was okay. She didn't want her in any kind of danger.

_I'll take you_, Olivia replied.

**OMG! Liv. You don't have to do that. I wanted to ask, but I know that this is a lot.**

_It's fine_, she sent. She then added, _It's not fine, but what other choice do we have?_

A few minutes later, she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in," she answered, knowing full well it was Karen.

"Liv," she spoke softly.

"Are you sure?"

"No. I'm not, but I'm going to have to be. I don't want you in any dangerous situations. I want to see this place with my own eyes. I need to know that it's not some sketchy-ass establishment."

Karen joined her in bed on Fitz's side and got under the covers. They laid down, facing each other.

"I have to tell your father, Karen," Olivia whispered.

"But you said…"

"If I have to take you, I have to tell him. I can't lie to him."

"Why would you have to lie to him even if you took me?"

"When he asks how my day was, don't you think that's an important detail to share? He's going to have to watch Charlotte while we're gone. I have to tell him where I'm going. He's going to have to know."

Karen thought about all of her options. All of her hometown friends were away at college, so she couldn't call any of them. She couldn't do it in New York because it felt too dangerous, and she didn't want her new friends to find about it. Ian would find out if her college friends knew about it. In order for this to stay low-key, she needed Olivia to take her. Her father would have to know.

"Fine. Just get him on my side about this."

"Karen, I can't guarantee that. I don't know how he'll react besides wanting to murder us both."

They laid in silence for a few minutes before Karen spoke again. "Liv, I don't know that I believe life starts at conception. Right now I don't see it as a baby so much as a small thing that's there that _could_ be a baby. I honestly don't feel bad about this decision. Maybe if I were further along I would see it differently, but I don't. Am I bad person?" she said as she started to cry.

"No. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel. You're allowed to think that," she replied throwing her arm over her body."

"What time is your appointment?"

"Two."

"Okay. That will give me some time to get Charlotte adjusted and find a sitter if your father is busy. He'll be home in the morning."

Karen nodded her head, feeling relieved to no longer have that secret. She couldn't believe how well Olivia took the news.

"Can I sleep in here?" she asked meekly.

"Of course," Olivia replied with a yawn. Within a few minute both were fast asleep.

* * *

><p>When Fitz entered his bedroom after his flight from Atlanta, he was not expecting to find his wife and two daughters sleeping his bed. Olivia held Charlotte while she rested peacefully on her chest. Karen was snuggled close to Olivia's side. It was a surprising, beautiful sight. Olivia moved in her sleep, causing Charlotte to open her eyes. She took a moment to adjust to her surroundings, opening and closing her little orbs before settling on them being open. Seeing her father, her pacifier fell out of her mouth. She smiled at her daddy, squirming on Olivia's chest.<p>

"Hi, butterball," he said quietly, careful not to wake up Olivia and Karen.

He reached to pick her up, which disrupted Olivia's slumber. Groggily, Olivia opened her eyes to find Fitz standing over her with their daughter in his arms.

"What time is it?" she asked sleepily.

"10:30."

"Shit. Shoot," she said correcting her language for Charlotte despite the fact that she couldn't understand it yet.

Olivia sat up in bed, trying to get her bearings. "I was supposed to be out of bed already. I fed Charlotte, and we must have fallen back at sleep."

"You have a big day planned?" he asked.

_If he only knew_, Olivia thought.

"What are your plans for the day? Are you working from home?" she asked him.

"I was going to drop by the office to reply to a few emails, check up on the staff."

"Do you think Charlotte could go with you?"

"What? You know I won't get anything done if she comes."

Olivia nodded her head and nervously bit her nails, a habit she very rarely did.

"What's up?" he asked.

She looked to Karen and then back to him.

"We need to talk."

"Okay, so talk."

"When Karen's up."

He sighed. "Well then wake her up. It's 10:30, Liv."

When she made no effort to wake her step-daughter, he sighed.

"Karen, get up. You're not sleeping the day away," he said forcefully.

"Dad, be quiet," she groaned, turning her head over on the pillow.

He smiled before taking a throw pillow and hitting her with it.

"Wake up. I want to talk to you before I leave for the office."

"Five minutes," she grumbled.

"Five minutes that's all. Meet us downstairs."

He helped Olivia out of bed, and she quickly prepared herself for the inevitable conversation.

* * *

><p>Five minutes later, Olivia, Fitz and Karen were seated together in the living room. Charlotte blissfully sat on her mother's lap oblivious to the thick tension in the room.<p>

"So what's up? What do you all want to talk about. If it's the family vacation to Colorado, then I don't want to hear it. We already voted and you two lost. We'll do Europe next year," Fitz said.

Olivia nervously chuckled. She wished it was that simple. Olivia looked to Karen whose eyes had begun to tear up. She was too petrified to get the words out.

"Dad, I'm uh…I-I…" she started then sighed. "I'm pregnant," she said before beginning shed tears.

"You're WHAT?" he bellowed. He was just as stunned as Olivia when she heard the news the night before. That was the last thing he was expecting to hear.

She didn't respond. She let her tears do all of the communicating.

"Karen, you're what?"

"Pregnant," she replied softly. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so so sorry," she said sincerely.

Fitz stood up, pushing his hands through his hair. He loosened his collared shirt and left the living room abruptly.

"Where are you going?" Olivia called after him. With Charlotte on her hip, she followed him the short distance to his office where he was clutching a decanter and filling a glass of scotch.

"Fitz, please. It's early, and we need to finish this," she pleaded.

He took a swig of his drink and put the glass down. Throwing his hands up, he shook his head. "What the fuck, Olivia?!" he said in disbelief.

Olivia looked to Charlotte and back at him.

"Please. Not in front of her."

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I don't want to hear anymore of this. Not right now."

"This is not something you can run away from. You need to let her finish. Please."

Begrudgingly, he hastily moved past Olivia and back to the living room.

He stared at Karen in utter disbelief. He had so many questions, but at the same time didn't want the answers. He wanted to go back to five minutes prior when she was innocently sleeping in his bed with her sister and step mom. Five days ago, when he thought she was being studious in New York. Five weeks ago, when she was crying on the phone telling him how homesick she was and how much she loved him. Five months ago, when she was working at the bakery and still living under his roof, or even five years ago when they were going to their first daddy-daughter dance. When he was the only man she loved. He was at a complete loss for words.

"I'm…I'm not. I don't want…I'm not keeping it," she stuttered out.

It was like she was trying to destroy him, to see how fast and how hard she could make him crumble. She was breaking his heart over and over again.

"Karen," he said softly with watery eyes. "I can't hear anymore right now."

"Don't you have anything to say?" she said in disbelief of his reaction. She was expected to hear him yelling and cursing at her. She was expecting a fight, but he was too stunned and disappointed.

"I don't have anything to say to you right now. You've let me down immensely," he said before leaving the room.

Now hysterically crying, she watched him as he headed up the stairs, completely dismissing himself from her presence. Olivia didn't know who to comfort first. Knowing that it was probably best to give Fitz space, she went to Karen on the other couch. With Charlotte in her lap, she rubbed Karen's back.

"He hates me," she sobbed.

"Honey, he doesn't hate you. Just give him some time. He needs to process it."

"I shouldn't have told him. I knew I shouldn't have told him." Olivia felt guilty for suggesting it, for not allowing it to be their secret. She didn't know what she would do if she was in Karen's situation.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

* * *

><p>An hour later, she let Fitz and Karen both cool off. Charlotte was napping in her crib, so she took that as the perfect opportunity to talk to her husband. She had prepared lunch, hoping either of them would come down from their rooms to eat. When they didn't, she went upstairs and entered their bedroom. She expected to find him in a drunken stupor. Instead, he was sitting on their couch staring out of the window.<p>

"Baby," she said meekly.

He turned his head, and she could tell that he had been crying. He was completely distraught over the news.

She walked over to him and sat on his lap. Even though she knew he would try to resist her close contact, she knew that it was the quickest way to soothe him, to get him level headed. As she expected, he gently tried to push her away. She didn't retreat. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close to her.

She kissed the top of his head and allowed him to listen to her heart beat.

"We're going to get through this," she whispered.

"I know. It's just a lot right now. I wasn't expecting this. I thought she was on birth control."

"She didn't get it refilled when she started school," she explained.

"I want to kill Zach. The next time I see that tiny pant wearing asshat, I'm going to rip his throat out. She has her whole future ahead of her and then he pulls this stunt. Pull out motherfucker. Use condoms God damn it," he yelled.

Olivia was trying not to laugh at his theatrics, because she knew he wasn't going to take the next part well.

"It's not his," she replied.

He moved her off his lap so he could stand.

"What?!" he asked. It was as if he was getting smacked with a ton of bricks.

Wanting to spare him all of the details that she knew he could not handle about Karen's sex life, "They broke up. And she's dating someone else," she tried to explain.

"Is that why she doesn't want it? Because it's a new relationship?"

"Not completely," Olivia said.

"She's keeping that baby. I can't even believe she would think that she's not. I raised her better than this. It's one thing to get pregnant, but it's another to try to get rid of the life she created. She's not a murderer."

"Fitz, come on. Don't be dramatic."

"Don't be dramatic? What the fuck else I am supposed to be? This is a dramatic, borderline traumatic situation for me."

"Well implying that your daughter is a murderer for wanting an abortion is too much."

"She's not getting rid of her child. If she really doesn't want a baby, she can give it up for adoption. We could raise it," he said desperately.

"I know how you feel about this issue. I know your entire family feels strongly about this situation. I know your brother and father have worked hard on the Hill regarding this issue, but please be reasonable."

"What are trying to say, Olivia? You support this decision? You think she should kill her baby?"

"Fitz, please. I'm not going to continue to have this conversation with you, if you're going to continue to be sensational."

"Sensational? I'm being sensational. If you can't accept the facts of what an abortion is, if hearing the terms 'kill' and 'baby' hurts your little feelings, then maybe you should reevaluate your feelings on the matter."

"Okay. You need to slow down and watch your tone. I didn't do this. Alright. All I'm saying is that she is your daughter, and you need to be supportive."

"I don't _need_ to support his bullshit decision she thinks she's going to make. It is not happening."

"Fitz, you can't tell her otherwise. Her mind is made up."

"Oh I can't tell her otherwise? I am the reason she's in New York right now, apparently having the time of her life with no regards to the real reason we sent her there in the first place. I am not paying for another dime of her tuition. She can give me the keys to her car, and she can figure this shit out by herself, if she thinks I have to support this. I'm not paying for her to whore it up all over New York.

"So you're going to blackmail her into keeping a baby she doesn't want? What good does that do?"

He didn't respond. He didn't know what to say.

She continued. "You have every right to be upset and disappointed. But this isn't about you. This is about her. She is confused, and she is scared, and she needs us on her team."

"I honestly can't believe what you're saying. You support this. You think she should terminate her pregnancy?"

"I think that it's her body and her choice. I think that it's a difficult position for someone at her age. She doesn't feel ready to have a child; she has other things in mind for her future. None of which include being a mother right now. I understand that. I do."

"How can you say that when it was so hard for you to conceive?"

"Fitz, do not bring my issues in to this. You know that's not fair. Again, this isn't about me or my personal thoughts on the matter, it's about her. Every situation is different."

"I understand that it would be harder for her, but she could still do all the things that she wants. We will support her. She has to know that. An abortion is not the way."

"She does understand that, but Fitz, she does not want a baby. It's not about support. It's not the right time for her. And she doesn't want to have deal with the child's father for the rest of her life. She barely even likes him."

"What?! You said they were dating!"

"It's casual," she said trying not to get bogged down by the details of their relationship.

"It's casual? So what? They were just hooking up?"

"I guess."

"Jesus. It just keeps getting worse," he said as massaged his temples. "No. No. This is ridiculous. This is not the way you handle situations like this. I'm sorry, but she can't just act like a harlot, be completely irresponsible and then not have to face the consequences."

"She is facing the consequences! This is difficult for her. She's making tough calls in light of all of this."

"No. She needs to learn a lesson! She needs to understand that when you have causal, unprotected sex, these things happen. She can't just make this go away with an abortion."

"First and foremost, a baby is not a punishment for having sex. A consequence yes. A punishment absolutely not. She doesn't need to learn a lesson by having a child. That is ridiculous. And secondly, she does understand. She made a mistake. One, I bet she will never make again."

Olivia was starting to get frustrated as her patience wore thin. "How are you being this obtuse? How are you being this unreasonable? She is your daughter. She needs your support not your condemnation."

"Is this what you think parenting is about? Is this how you would handle it if Charlotte came to you with something like this? Just all calm, cool and collected like an abortion is just no big deal? Get real, Olivia. Karen's not your daughter so it's real easy for you to judge how I'm handling this."

"How dare you? I love Karen! There is nothing I wouldn't do for her or Jerry or Teddy or Charlotte. And yes, maybe it is different because I didn't birth her, but I would treat Charlotte with just as much compassion as I'm showing Karen, something that you are lacking right now."

"I taught my daughter right from wrong, and I expect her to adhere to it. To know the difference between owning up to your mistakes and making them disappear," he yelled.

"This is just not what this is. This is not what's happening. Not everyone believes that life starts at conception. Karen doesn't believe that. She's allowed to think that!"

"Do you think that? Do you agree with her?" he asked, completely confused.

"No absolutely not. Any life that I create starts the moment I realize it's there. But, Fitz, everyone is different. We don't all have to think the same way and believe the same things. It's her right to think that, and it's her choice to do what she thinks is right with her body."

Trying to mull over what she said, he was becoming more frustrated. "That is just bullshit. 'Life doesn't start at conception'. When she was talking to your swollen belly, did she not think Charlotte was real? Did she think we had a right to terminate Charlotte's life? No! She absolutely did not. She can keep thinking that bullshit logic if she wants, but she can't just use it when it's convenient for her."

"You know what? It is easy for you to throw around moral judgments and have black and white ideas about what is right and what is wrong, but the truth of the matter is that you will never know what it feels like to be in her situation. You will never know what it feels like to have an unwanted, unplanned pregnancy. To feel like a failure and a disappointment because you don't want something that should feel so _natural_ and so _desirable_. You will never understand the pain, the strife for even considering such an option. Until you can grow a fucking uterus, until it's possible for you to know firsthand what that feels like, you don't get an opinion on the matter. So you can save your moralism, your bullshit conservatism, for someone who gives a shit. I don't have the time for it."

"I can't believe you're acting like such a bitch right now."

"A bitch? Really? You need to leave this room. You need to get out of my face right now!"

"I'm not going anywhere. Last time I checked, I've made every mortgage payment for the past ten years in this place. This is _my_ home."

"Okay. No problem. Then, I'll gladly leave _your_ home," she said as she ran out of the door, slamming it behind her.

Knowing that he used all of the wrong words, he followed her out. "Liv, please. I didn't mean…"

She cut him off. "Fuck you, Fitz," she whispered as she made her to Charlotte's nursery. "Don't follow me."

She carefully picked up her daughter from her crib, quickly picked up her diaper bag and ran down the stairs.

"Where the hell are you going?" he asked, trying hard not to raise his voice in front of their daughter.

"Liv!" he called after her.

She ignored him completely. She grabbed a jacket, her keys, and her purse. With her hands completely full, she ran out of the door.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know this was a lot, but I always try to write realistically, and I think this is real scenario. I think any parent would voice some of Fitz's concerns. Olivia is also doing the best she can, doing what she thinks is right for Karen. I'd love your thoughts on the matter. It may help me decide where I go from here. <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

Olivia couldn't remember the drive from her home to the bakery. It was like she was on autopilot. She was fuming, and the only thing she could think about was Fitz and his awful words. Never did she think she would be so angry with him. When he ran out of the house on her trail, she was seeing red. Now that she was in the parking lot of her bakery, she was still livid, but she managed to calm down. Charlotte fell soundly back asleep on the ride to the bakery. Olivia felt terrible for dragging her into this in the middle of her nap, but she needed to leave, and she had no idea when she would be ready to return.

With her Charlotte in her arms, she used the back entry to go inside of her original bakery. It always gave her calm. And it always felt like home.

"Liv," Abby said, taken aback by her presence. "What are you and Little Bit doing here?" she asked as she approached her, taking Charlotte out of her hands.

"I just needed to finish some paperwork," she replied convincingly. "Get back to work. Ignore us," she said taking Charlotte back in her arms. "If anyone calls for me, tell them I am not here. And I mean _anyone_. No exceptions whatsoever," she said to the room.

As she passed through the kitchen, she ignored the alarmed looks she received from Tara, Krista and Jessica, the newest girls on staff. Once she was inside of her office, she shut the door and placed Charlotte in her stationary entertainer. She pulled her phone out of her purse to turn it off completely. She already had fifteen missed calls from Fitz. She also had an unread text message from Karen.

**I rescheduled my appointment. I need more time. Thanks for your support.**

Olivia couldn't respond. She didn't want to think about Karen or her pregnancy anymore. She turned her phone off, sat behind her desk and cried.

* * *

><p>Fitz could not believe how awful his day was going. He was on the brink of a panic attack with his thoughts moving rapidly from Karen's pregnancy and possible abortion to Olivia storming out of the house with their infant daughter. She wouldn't answer her cell phone, and when he tried to call both of the bakeries, each person who answered said she wasn't there.<p>

Olivia had only been gone for an hour, but it felt like all day to him. He had been holed up in their bedroom trying to decompress with few glasses of scotch. As he thought about the Karen situation, he was fortunate that he hadn't said any of that stuff he shared with Olivia to his daughter. Though he was resolved in his feelings regarding the matter, he knew that with any conversation he had with Karen he would need to be more sensitive. He hadn't meant to get Olivia so riled up. And certainly didn't mean to say that his home wasn't her home. He was just angry. Angry at the situation that forced them to argue, angry at Karen for being so irresponsible, angry at Olivia that she was so dismissive of his opinions, and angry at himself for not having control over the situation.

A soft tapping on the door took him out of his thoughts.

"What," he answered.

"Can I come in?" he heard Karen say.

"Come in," he replied. He could barely look at his daughter without his emotions getting the best of him.

"Karen, I'm not ready to talk right now. I have a lot of things on my mind, and I can't discuss this right now."

"I know. I'm just letting you know that I'm going to moms. I think it's best I stay with her."

"Does she know about this?" he asked harshly.

"No. Not all. Please don't tell her, dad. You and Liv are the only people who know. Please," she begged.

"I won't tell her. If you decide, that's your business."

"Thanks. I think I'm just going to fly back tomorrow."

"Like hell you will. The whole reason you're supposed to be in town is to take family pictures. Olivia spent a lot of time trying to figure out a time that works with the photographers and the family's schedules."

"Okay," she agreed with a sigh.

"If you want to get back in my good graces, consider dying your hair back to its normal color before our pictures. No offense, but you look like a Muppet," he said bitingly. In that moment, he could tell that his liquid courage was getting the best of him, but he didn't care.

She scoffed, rolled her eyes and hastily left his room without speaking another word to him.

* * *

><p>Four hours later, Olivia was still confined to her office. No one had disturbed her as she requested. Charlotte was content as she lay on her back on her floor gym. When Olivia was pregnant, she rearranged her office space considerably so that her daughter would be at home any time she came to visit. She sat on the floor with Charlotte and played with her quietly.<p>

A thud on her office door interrupted their tranquil playtime.

"Come in," she said in an annoyed tone.

"Hey, Liv." Abby greeted. "I just wanted to let you know that my shift's over here. I'm going to head to the Westfield shop. Quinn will be in shortly."

Olivia didn't respond.

"Have you been crying? Is everything okay?" Abby asked worriedly. She came inside her office and closed the door behind her.

"I can't even talk about it," Olivia said dryly.

"If there's anything you need, you know I'm here."

"Do you have plans tonight?" Olivia asked hesitantly.

"Not really. Just drinks with some friends."

"Do you…would you mind if we crashed at her place?" she asked nervously.

"No. Not all. You know you're always welcome."

"Thanks," she said as she started to cry again. "I'm sorry. It's just...I'm sorry."

Abby rummaged through her purse, found her key ring and slid off her house key. She kneeled beside Olivia and took her in her arms.

"Whatever's going on, I promise it will be okay," Abby tried to console. She pulled away and gave Olivia her house key. "I'm not sure when I'll be home after I leave Westfield, but here's the key to my place."

"Thanks, Abby."

"You're welcome."

Abby picked up Charlotte from her mat. "Bye-Bye, Little Bit," she said as she kissed her cheek. She handed her to Olivia who gladly cuddled her daughter.

"See you later," Olivia managed to sniffle out as her friend departed.

On her knees, she grabbed her cell phone from her desk and turned it back on. She was not surprised to see that she had half a dozen voicemails from her husband.

Before even listening to them, she reluctantly decided to call him back. She didn't have time to grow anxious anticipating his voice because he answered immediately.

"Livvie," he said desperately on the other end. "Where are you?"

"I'm just calling to let you know that I'm fine. And Charlotte's fine."

"Are you coming home?" he asked sadly.

"I apparently don't have a home to return to," she replied sharply.

"Damn it, Liv! You know I didn't mean that. You _know_ that."

"Do I? Because you said it with so much conviction, like you had been waiting a long time to remind me whose home it really is," she replied trying to fight back tears.

He didn't know how to respond to that. It wasn't true, but he knew she wasn't ready to hear or accept that response. "Come home," he said with despair. "I want to see my daughter. Teddy will be here soon. He will want to see his sister. You can't do this," he said. His words were slurring together. He couldn't hide his drunken state any more.

"I can do whatever the hell I want to, Fitz. You are not my father." Rolling her eyes as if he could see her, "Thank god," she mumbled under her breath. "You're doing such a bang up job right now." She knew that it was below the belt, but she wanted him to feel the sting that she felt earlier.

"Wow!" he muttered and scoffed in response. Becoming annoyed with her stubbornness, "Well you do whatever the hell you want to do any other time, so why should I be surprised?" he stated angrily.

"Okay. You are clearly drunk. And you're making this worse for me."

"No. _You_ are making this worse for _me_," he corrected. "I want my family in _our_ home. That's all I want. That's all I need."

Antsy in her mother's lap, Charlotte squealed for attention.

"I have to go Fitz. I'm fine. We're fine. So sober up for Teddy," she said and hung up the phone.

She stood up with Charlotte and rummaged through her desk drawers until she found a spare make-up bag and an extra flat-iron. She grabbed all of their belongings, so that she could leave for Abby's.

Olivia couldn't have imagined that she would feel like a refugee, displaced from her home, in her office with her daughter in tow. She needed another moment to think, to breathe before she departed. She sat down and placed Charlotte back in her lap.

"You are so perfect," she whispered to her giggly daughter before leaning down to kiss her. "Stay this perfect forever."

As she looked at her gorgeous baby girl, she wondered if there would ever be a time when she broke her heart, when she disappointed her. Right now she just couldn't imagine it. And then it clicked. To go from truly in your heart believing that your child could never or would never disappoint you to realizing that they can and will must be truly devastating. She hurt for Fitz, but that didn't excuse the way he spoke to her or the way he made her feel unwelcome in a home she thought they shared.

With all of her belongings together, she hastily left for Abby's.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Fitz was trying his best to stay sane, but his youngest son was driving him crazy with his relentless question asking and horseplay. Teddy had managed to sprawl out almost every toy he owned at his father's house all over the living room. Maybe if Fitz had gotten more than three hours of sleep, he would have more patience for his son. His sleep deprivation coupled with the frustration he felt with his wife and disappointment with Karen only fueled his low levels of tolerance. But he realized it wasn't Teddy's fault, so he was doing his best not to take it on out on him.<p>

"Daddy, can I wear my cape today?" Teddy asked.

"No, bud. You have to wear the outfit that's already set out for you."

"But why? I like my cape!" he whined.

"Maybe you can take a few pictures in them," Fitz conceded. "Go finish playing in the living room."

"Yay!" he yelled and ran out of the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks to face his father. "When is Charlotte coming?!" he asked eagerly.

"In a little while, bud. Go play," Fitz urged.

As Teddy left the kitchen, Fitz heard the front door close. His stomach dropped. He was beyond anxious to face Olivia. He went to meet her in the foyer, but was welcomed by his eldest children instead, who both opted to stay at Mellie's place for the night.

They were both dressed in attire Olivia pre-approved for pictures a few days prior. Jerry wore a blue v-neck sweater and khaki trousers. Karen donned a brown above the knee skirt with a navy sweater over a cream collared shirt and dark brown riding boots. They looked like they could have graced the pages of a J. Crew catalog.

"Hey, dad," Jerry greeted.

"Hey Jerry," he said reaching to give him a hug.

To Karen's surprise, he reached to embrace her as well. He kissed the top of her head.

"You dyed your hair back to normal," Fitz noticed. It had been professionally cut, colored and styled. "It looks great, sweetheart," he complimented genuinely.

"Yeah. Mom freaked out over it," Jerry said.

"I don't know why everyone gives shit about my hair. It's _my_ hair!"

"Watch your language," Fitz scolded. "You cannot possibly think your hair looks worse than it did yesterday."

She rolled her eyes and checked out herself in a nearby mirror.

"No. It's pretty cute," she said combing through it with her fingers.

He ushered them into the living room where they all took seats on the couch.

"What the hell happened in here?" Jerry asked, taking in the sight of Teddy's toys.

"Teddy had a bit of fun last night," Fitz explained.

"You guys give him free reign. He needs to clean this up," Karen said. "Teddy," she yelled. "Get down here and clean up your mess."

"He's fine. I'll get it," Fitz said as he began to clean up Teddy's mess.

"Where's, Liv?" Jerry asked. "Yeah. I sent her a text yesterday, but she didn't respond," Karen added.

"Running errands," he lied. He had no idea where Olivia was, but he was equally restless to see her. The photographers were expected at any minute. He knew, or at least he hoped, she wouldn't bail on their photo session. It was something she talked about and looked forward to for weeks.

The sound of the doorbell halted their conversation. Fitz stomach dropped a second time, hoping it was Olivia at the door.

"That's probably her," he said to Jerry and Karen.

"Why would she ring the bell?" Karen asked as he was leaving the room.

"Full hands," Fitz explained as he entered their foyer.

He was disappointed when he opened the door was greeted by Ramona and Sam, their photographers for the afternoon.

"Hi guys," Fitz greeted with a forced smile. "Come on in."

"Hello." "Hi," the pair responded at the same time as Fitz let them inside.

He ushered them to their formal living room.

"You can set up wherever. I know Olivia doesn't want too many staged photographs, so if you want to take a walk through the house to figure where you want us, feel free," he said.

He went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. He was sweating bullets. He couldn't believe his wife had yet to arrive. He grabbed his phone to call her. As soon as he dialed her number, he heard the front door open and shut again.

"Hi you two," he heard from the kitchen. He breathed a sigh of relief just hearing his wife's voice.

"What happened in here?" he heard her ask as he approached their informal living room.

"Apparently Teddy happened," Karen answered.

Teddy came barreling down the stairs upon hearing Olivia's voice.

"Liv!" he yelled. "Charlotte!" he exclaimed with equal excitement.

Olivia was holding Charlotte on her hip. She hadn't noticed Fitz staring at her, but he certainly noticed her. She wasn't dressed for their shoot, but he knew that she was fully prepared for it. Her hair was meticulously straightened. Her make-up was camera ready. The only thing missing was her outfit. She was in black leggings that shaped her ass to perfection, a tiny white v-neck t-shirt that showed off the months she spent in the gym working on defining her abs post baby, and sneakers. She wasn't trying to grab his attention with her attire, but she did so effortlessly.

"Hi, buddy," Olivia greeted him. She bent down to kiss his forehead, low enough so that he could greet his sister.

"Teddy, can you clean up your toys for me?" she asked kindly. "I think we might take pictures in here," she explained.

He frowned, not thrilled with the prospect of cleaning up after himself. Olivia gave him a serious, no nonsense look, and he went straight to the task at hand.

"Thanks, bud," she said to him with a smile.

She wasn't done delegating tasks. "Karen, can you get her changed for me. Her outfit is in a pink garment bag hanging in her closet."

"Sure," Karen agreed, taking Charlotte out of Olivia's hands.

"Jerry, can you pull the cars in the garage. I'm not sure if they want outdoor shots, but I don't want the cars in view."

"I'm on it," he replied as she threw him a set of keys.

Olivia turned around and noticed Fitz for the first time.

"Hi," he said softly.

She gave him a strained smiled in return and headed up the stairs to get changed. He swiftly followed her.

"Are the photographers here?" she asked with him on her trail. "I saw a car outside that I didn't recognize."

"They're here. They're setting up," he explained.

"Oh good. Great timing," she said as she entered their bedroom.

She knew that Fitz wanted to have a conversation, but she didn't have the time or the energy. She had one thing on her mind, and it was their photographs. Fitz knew he should have probably been groveling for her forgiveness, but he was too angry and annoyed that she had him worrying about her whereabouts for hours. He still had no clue where she stayed the night before.

"Would it have killed you to answer one of the many texts I sent you?" he asked as soon as the door closed shut.

She hastily entered their closet, taking her t-shirt off, and responded, "Would it have killed you to ask Teddy to clean up his toys from _your_ living room?"

He followed her to the doorway of their closet. "Come on, Olivia. Teddy's toys are everywhere because he was disappointed when he couldn't play with his sister last night. So I gave him a bit of a break. Okay, so please don't pick a fight with me over something so silly."

"I'm not. I'm asking a simple question. We have pictures to take and _your_ living room is a disaster," she said as she pulled a beige cashmere sweater over her head.

"Stop saying that!"

"Stop saying what?" she asked innocently, looking for a pair of jeans.

_"Your_. As if you don't live here to. I'm sorry, Liv. You know it's not how I meant it."

"We don't have time for this conversation. The photographers and the kids are downstairs waiting," she said as she slid on and buttoned up her dark, blue skinny jeans. She quickly slid on a pair of boots and rushed past him to leave the room.

* * *

><p>Despite the thick tension between Fitz and Olivia, their photo session was going great. Olivia was adamant that she didn't want traditional, staged photos where everyone smiled for the camera. She wanted them to feel more relaxed and look natural. She wanted aspects of their lives captured. Ramona and Sam took shots of Teddy playing with Charlotte. They photographed Karen and Jerry holding Charlotte and all of the kids laughing and playing together in their living room. They captured candid photos of Jerry and Karen laughing as Fitz attempted to play the piano, Olivia changing Charlotte in her nursery and rocking Charlotte in her chair. They took actions shot of Olivia and Karen baking cookies while Charlotte watched gleefully in her high chair. They managed to capture Olivia roughhousing with Jerry and Teddy. They took group shots of all of the kids together and with them joined by Fitz and Olivia on opposite ends. The two hour photo shoot was exhausting, but fun. Whatever fraught feelings present between Fitz and Olivia were concealed for the camera.<p>

"Oh! We need a few shots of just you and Fitz," Ramona suggested to Olivia as they were wrapping up the session.

"We don't have to do that. You've got us with the kids, so that's plenty," Olivia replied. Even if she and Fitz weren't in a fight, she still would have been hesitant to take photos of just the two of them. She was more concerned to have photos of the kids for their memories.

"Liv, the last time we took pictures of just Charlotte, you said that you would let us take pictures of you two as well," Sam reminded her.

Olivia looked to Fitz who seemed just as reluctant as she was.

"We'd love to have you for our portfolio even if you don't want them for yourselves. We'll tack on the last thirty minutes of photos free of charge," Ramona added.

Olivia sighed and checked her watch.

"I'll give you fifteen minutes. I have to head in to work in a bit," Olivia agreed much to the surprise of Fitz. He had no clue why she was headed to work on a Saturday, a day she normally took off since having Charlotte.

"Great. Why don't you sit in the chair near the fireplace in your formal living room," Ramona suggested. They followed her into the room and took seats on opposite sides of the couch.

"Uh let's try that chair," Ramona said, pointing to a single person chair.

They slowly walked to the chair Olivia took a seat while Fitz stood beside Ramona and Sam laughed at their awkwardness.

"No. Fitz, take a seat. Olivia, sit in his lap," Ramona said.

Olivia rolled her eyes, but did what was requested. She sat on his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her. It would never fail to amaze either of them what their closeness could do to each other. She instinctively melted into him like she normally would. He smelled amazing. She couldn't deny how safe she felt on his lap with his arms around her. He was entirely at peace holding his wife. She leaned into him, and he nuzzled her neck, which made for a perfect, intimate photo. She grabbed his hand, and for a moment, they weren't in the middle of a fight, tensions weren't high. They both felt semblances of the love they typically shared.

"I think we got it," Sam declared causing Olivia to hop out of his lap instantly.

"Great! I can't thank you two enough for making the time to do this. I know our schedules can be impossible to figure out."

"Not a problem," Ramona said. "Thanks for letting us photograph you and your family. You have such beautiful children and such a beautiful home."

Olivia looked to Fitz and was reminded all over again why she was angry in the first place. "Thanks," she said trying not to sound bitter.

"Well if that's all you need, I'm just going to excuse myself. My husband can show you out," Olivia said as she walked out of the living room to head up stairs.

"Liv," Fitz called to her.

"What?" she answered, coldly.

"Could I talk to you for a minute?" he said as he followed her to the staircase.

She rolled her eyes. "What is it, Fitz? I have to run to work."

"Since when do you work on Saturdays?"

"Since Tara called out last minute. We're short staffed, and we've been seeing upswings on Saturday nights now that the Jazz café opened up beside us," she explained. She didn't feel like she owed him any form of an explanation, but she knew it would be easier for him to let her go without another fight.

"So you're not taking Charlotte?" he asked nervously. He hoped she would say no. He could take that as a sign that she was staying home for the night.

"No. I won't get anything done if she's there. Is that all? Can I go? I'm already running late."

"Fine," he said in a huff.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for coming in Liv," Abby said as they worked on a mock, five-tired display cake for their storefront window. They were working diligently in the back while Krista and Quinn manned the front of the shop. Olivia looked at her watch, surprised by how fast time had gone by. They were fifteen minutes until closing, and she had somehow managed to spend all afternoon not thinking about anything, but work.<p>

"Not a problem," Olivia replied.

"You really didn't have to come in. I think we could have handled it."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "Yeah the last time someone didn't show up on a Saturday, and I randomly checked in, it was chaos. So better safe than sorry," she said. "Besides, it gives me something else to think about," she said mumbled.

"Are you going to fill me in about last night? I mean I loved our sleepover, but it was little random."

Olivia couldn't explain her fight with Fitz without explaining the situation with Karen so she refrained from talking about it. She still wasn't in the mood to share her feelings.

She sighed before explaining, "It was just a dumb fight."

"So everything is fine. Should I expect you tonight? You're more than welcome."

"I probably should go back home, but thanks," she said with a smile.

As she and Abby worked quietly together, Quinn and Krista burst through the back of the shop. They washed their hands and took off of their aprons. Olivia looked at her watch again. They were closer to closing, but it wasn't time yet. She let it go thinking they must have been very dead up front to wrap up early. They still had a few tasks to do in the back of the shop before they could leave for the night. Olivia assumed they were getting ahead start, but when they grabbed their purses and keys from the employee cubbies, she was a bit confused.

"Where are you going? We're not officially closed," she said to the pair at the exact moment that her husband walked to the back of the shop.

"Fitz, what are you doing here?" she asked, equally confused by his appearance.

"He gave us the rest of the night off," Krista explained to her boss.

"Oh he did?" Olivia said eyeing Fitz suspiciously. "I'm not sure why he would have done that. He's not the one who signs your checks," she said to them while staring at him grimly.

Unsure of whether they were officially off work, both Quinn and Krista halted their movements, which didn't go unnoticed by Olivia.

"But since Mr. Grant here has decided to end your night early, I guess you can go," she said with a smile trying to play off her anger. However, Fitz knew not to say another word.

Abby continued to work, completely oblivious to the tension in the room. "Abby, you're free to go too. I've got it from here. We can have one of the girls do it tomorrow."

"Liv, are you sure? We still have some break-down to do."

"Yes. It's fine. I've got it," she said. She needed to be alone with her husband so that she could tear into him properly.

"Uh okay," she reluctantly agreed. Getting to a good stopping place, Abby took off her apron, gathered her things and left the kitchen. "Call me if you need anything," she said before leaving.

Olivia made sure it was just the two of them before locking up behind her employees.

"What the hell do you think you're doing relieving my staff?" she said angrily.

"I needed to be alone with you," he explained.

"So you waltz your ass to my place of business and start telling my staff what to do? I don't fucking think so," she said. She was so mad she couldn't stay in one spot. She moved around the kitchen and started to complete the night's tasks. She emptied baking bowls and refilled canisters, restraining herself from physically assaulting her husband.

"I probably shouldn't have done that, but Liv…"

"Oh, you just think you '_probably shouldn't have'_? No, let me be clear. You 100% shouldn't have done that. If I would have come to your office and took it upon myself to end a meeting, you would have had my head on a stick, Fitzgerald!"

He felt the gravity of her anger with her tone alone. She was now doubly infuriated with him.

"It is unprofessional! Just because my business is less corporate than yours does not give you the right to act like you make any major or minor decisions in here," she said as she restocked a few of shelves.

He figured he better put himself to good use. He went to the sink and began to wash a few dirty dishes. Their backs were turned away from each other as they completed their respective tasks.

"This place is mine! In fact, it's apparently the only place with walls and doors that I can rightfully say belongs to me," she spouted. When she was done stocking shelves, she started to sweep the floor.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that," he said when she finally let him get a word in. "I just needed to talk to you, and this felt like the only way."

"Where's Charlotte?"

"Karen and Jerry are keeping an eye on her. I just needed to come down here and apologize for yesterday," he said as he scrubbed a pan clean. "I'm sorry, Liv. I didn't mean to imply that our house isn't your house. It is just as much your house as it is my house. It doesn't even feel complete without you. Everything, and I mean everything, that I have, that I own belongs to you, too" he explained as he dried off the pan.

"I was just so angry and hurt yesterday, and I lashed out at you, and that wasn't fair. You're the last person to deserve that, especially when you were so loving and kind and gentle to my daughter. You were better to her than her own father," he said softly, finishing up the last of the dishes.

He dried his hands and turned to face Olivia who was still diligently sweeping. He knew that she was listening, but he needed her full attention. He came up behind her and gently took the broom out of her hand. He turned her around to face him. Her eyes were brimming with tears.

"And I shouldn't have said you were acting like a bitch because that could not have been farther from the truth. You were acting like any compassionate parent would. And I'm embarrassed that I couldn't have been better, acted better in that situation. It's just…that was…_is_ hard for me."

"I get that, but that doesn't give you the right to…"

"Liv," he said, holding his hand up. "I'm not done. There is nothing I can say that justifies my behavior yesterday. I'm not trying to justify it. I can only try to explain why I reacted that way. It's not just because I'm staunchly prolife, and it has nothing to do with my politics. It's not just because Karen isn't my innocent little girl anymore. It's because when I think about the creation of life, right now, all I can think about is Charlotte. The idea that life as precious as Charlotte's could be ended, for whatever arbitrary reason, hurts my heart. Charlotte at one point was also just an embryo. She was just as tiny as what's growing inside Karen, and to think that such a life could be done away with is horrifying to me. Think about how much joy Charlotte brought to our lives even before she was born. Even before she was conceived, we loved the _idea_ of having something, someone as miraculous as Charlotte. I can't bear to think potential life, life that is so profound, life that brings so much happiness, would be done away with because Karen's not ready. You are never ready to be a parent. There is never truly a right time. So it's come earlier than she would have liked? That's okay. She can handle it. We can handle it. Everything happens for a reason. Karen is carrying life inside of her, a life just like Charlotte's, and it breaks my heart that she would end something that will change her life in the most extraordinary ways."

Overcome with emotion, she wept hearing him equate Karen's pregnancy to Charlotte's life.

He continued. "And I should have said all of this yesterday. I shouldn't have blown up. I shouldn't have called you or Karen out of your names because I let my emotions get the best of me. But you are my best friend, and I feel like I can be unfiltered with you and vent to you and say all of the awful things I wouldn't dare say to anyone else because I know you're not judging me. All I can say is I am sorry, and I promise I'll do better the next time we're hit with something like this. Just please don't stay away from me like that again. Please don't take my daughter away from me. I've never been more scared by the thought of losing you or her."

She moved closer to him and threw herself in his arms, wrapping her arms around him tightly as she cried. He lifted her chin, tilting her head, to kiss her away tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered once more with his lips against her cheeks.

"It's okay," she replied. "I'm sorry, too. And you don't ever have to worry about me keeping Charlotte away from you. You're such an amazing father."

Feeling relieved, they exhaled simultaneously while letting of go their embrace.

"So where do we go from here?" she asked.

"We need to finish talking to Karen," he replied, and she nodded in agreement. "But Liv, I need you on my side with this. As my wife, I need you supporting me. We need to have a united front. I will support Karen however she needs me too, but I will not support this decision. I can't. If having an abortion is honestly what she feels like she needs to do, then so be it. I can't stop her, and I won't try. But I will not act like I agree with it. I will not advise her to end this pregnancy. I will not help finance it. I don't want any part of it. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did."

"Okay. But I agreed to take her to her appointment."

"What? Liv…"

"But I can make other arrangements for her if that's what she decides to do. I love you, and I support you, and if you're uncomfortable with me being there, then we'll figure something else out."

He scooped her up in his arms again and lowered his head to rub hips against hers. Wanting to feel his mouth completely she pressed her lips on his. When he opened his mouth the slightest bit, she eased her tongue inside. Her skin tingled feeling his tongue move against hers. He slid his hand down her back to her ass, cupping it gently, and walking them until they were met with the edge of the work table in the middle of the kitchen. He gracefully picked her up, and set her down, as if her body was weightless, without breaking their kiss. She pulled away the moment he stood between her legs.

"This is where we had our first kiss," she reminded him with a grin. He returned her smile and pecked her lips.

"This is also where you seduced me for the first time, and we got caught by Karen. You know, come to think of it, Karen has started a lot of shit between us."

"First of all, I did not seduce you. Secondly, Karen is the reason we met," she replied.

"I guess I will always owe her for wanting the world's most expensive birthday cake," he joked.

"You will never let it go. Ever," she replied, poking his chest.

"For you, it was worth it," he said before capturing her lips.

She hopped down off the table and grabbed his hand, dragging him around the room until she gathered all of her belongings. "Come on. I'm riding with you. I want to play with our Butterball before we have to put her down," she said.

She reached to turn off the lights, but before she could, he pulled her to him. "I love you, beautiful," he said sincerely.

"I love you, too."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you so much for your responses to the last chapter. Whew! Y'all had some feelings about Fitz lol. It took a few more small tiffs and a photoshoot, but they made up in this chapter. What did you think of his apology? Do you have more sympathy for his point of view? Did Olivia let him off the hook too soon or should she have let him grovel more? Next chapter, they will talk to Karen, and we will find out her decision. Let me know what you thought! Thanks reading! <strong>


	5. Chapter 5

Fitz's world felt off kilter whenever he was fighting with his wife. Now that her much smaller hand covered his over the center console of his SUV, his world felt righted. He looked to her, and saw her gazing out of her passenger window, looking deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked as they headed to their home from the bakery.

She turned to face him and stated plainly, "I want a new house."

That was the last thing he was expecting to hear. "I thought we just cleared that up."

"We did. You said you were sorry. You said that you didn't mean it. I understand that, and I'm not angry with you anymore, but that doesn't change hurt feelings."

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Livvie."

"I know you didn't, but you _did_. And frankly, I don't ever want to feel like I don't have a right to be in my home. And to an extent, you're right. You paid for that home. My name isn't on any documents relating to it."

"I will put your name on them."

"No. I don't want that. I want something that's truly _ours_. We discussed it before, and I wasn't ready to move, but now I am. I want to a buy a new home as soon as possible."

"But we decided that we would wait another year at minimum. It makes sense with our finances and for Teddy for us to wait. We decided that it'd be at least another year before we made another huge investment."

"I know. But that's not what I want anymore."

He sighed, completely uninterested in fighting with her when they had just resolved their argument, or at least he thought.

"Can we table this for now? I hear you. I do, but right now my main concern is Karen, and what the hell I'm going to say to her because right now I have no clue."

"Let's hope she didn't overhear our argument because, dear god, we're going to need an intervention if she did. But for starters, you're going to apologize for your previous response. You should have heard her out when she had the courage to tell you and not make her wait for over 24 hours until you were ready to talk about it."

He nodded in agreement.

"And I honestly don't know what you should say to her after that. Just tell her how you feel, but most importantly, please just be sensitive. If you think it's hard for you, you need to understand that it's twice as hard for her. She's the one that has to make the decision. It's not your place to sway her."

"Do I need to call Mellie? I mean, this is something that I would want to know about if the situation were reversed. This could have adverse effects for our daughter, and I wouldn't want to be left in the dark about it."

"I don't know, honey. Honestly, I think this is Karen's call. She's not a child. She's not a minor. She could have handled this by herself in New York without telling any of us, and we would have been none the wiser. I know Mellie would _want_ to know, but does she honestly _need_ to know? I think that's for Karen to decide."

"She _could_ have done this in New York. Why didn't she?"

"I have no idea. I think maybe it's the familiarity and comfort of being at home. She knows D.C. in a way that she doesn't know New York. She said she didn't want her friends to know. Maybe she thought they would somehow find out about it. I don't know how they would, but maybe she was nervous about it."

"I think she's just unsure, which is all the more reason why she should keep it. If she was confident about her decision, she wouldn't have told you. She would have just done it. She's obviously having second thoughts about it."

"Well, honey, this isn't a decision to take lightly. I would hope it's something she would go back and forth about. It's irreversible," she said as they pulled into their driveway.

He let out a heavy breath before taking the key out of the ignition. "I'm not ready for this," he admitted quietly, turning to face her.

She leaned over the console and captured his lips before quickly releasing them.

"Let's just get it over with," she replied.

Hand-in-hand, they entered their home where they were met by the booming sounds of a television and pitch darkness save the flickering light illuminating from their living room.

She led him to the living room where they found Teddy and Karen snuggled on the couch with a blanket. Teddy was fast asleep. Jerry was sprawled out on their chaise with Charlotte firmly placed on his chest. Olivia and Fitz smiled at each other, loving seeing their children content, all in one place.

"Hi," Olivia whispered to the room, careful not to disturb the littlest Grants.

"Hey," Karen whispered back.

Olivia and Fitz both took a seat on opposite sides of the living room.

"How was she?" Olivia asked. "Did she give you much of a fuss?"

"No. She was perfect," Karen replied as Olivia reached and grabbed Charlotte off of her brother's chest.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on both of them," Fitz said. "What are your plans for the night?" he asked, addressing no one in particular.

"I'm going to Derek's. He's in town for the weekend, and it's his 21st birthday." Jerry said as he got up from the couch. "You don't mind do you? I know we were supposed to have 'family bonding time.'"

"No. I don't mind. I think that two hour photoshoot counts for plenty of family bonding time," Fitz said lightheartedly.

"Okay well I'm just going to head out," Jerry explained. "Karen, do you need a ride or are you staying here tonight?" he asked, realizing that they rode there together.

"I think I'm just going to stay here for a little bit," she answered, knowing that she needed to talk to her father.

"Sounds good. See you later. Love you all," he said as he left the room.

"Why don't I put Charlotte down," Olivia said following Jerry out.

"I'll tuck Teddy in," Fitz responded moving to pick up his son to carry him to his room. "Karen, can we meet you down here in twenty?"

"Sure," she replied nervously.

Olivia took it upon herself to be as slow as possible in putting Charlotte to bed. She wanted to avoid the conversation as much as her husband and stepdaughter. She took her sweet time nursing Charlotte and changing her into pajamas. She even clipped her tiny finger and toe nails while she was sleeping, the only time Charlotte allowed it to happen. When she knew she had procrastinated for far too long, she hesitantly placed Charlotte in her crib. She leaned and kissed her, taking in her intoxicating baby scent.

"I love you, sweet pea. Sleep tight," she whispered and left the room.

When she exited the nursery, she was met by Fitz who was just leaving Teddy's room. He too was putting off the conversation with Karen. He helped Teddy change into pajamas and even read him part of a bedtime story, despite the fact that Teddy was already half-asleep.

Knowing that he was putting off the discussion with Karen too, "We're pathetic," she said to him with a smile, trying to make light of this awful situation.

"Let's just do it," he said leading her downstairs to their living room. Karen was patiently waiting, texting on her phone.

"Sorry that took so long," Olivia said.

"It's fine," Karen replied.

"Karen, I don't even know where to start," Fitz said as he got comfortable on a couch beside his wife. He looked to Olivia as if she had the words and then remembered that he needed to apologize.

"But first I just want to say that I am sorry."

Karen looked completely shocked to be getting any form of an apology.

"I am sorry that I didn't give you the space to share your thoughts and explain the situation. And for that, I apologize. I also need to let you know that I love you. Sweetheart, you mean the world to me, and I love you so so much. There is honestly nothing in this world you could do to make me love you less. It's just not possible."

Hearing that brought so much relief she began to cry. She was legitimately worried that her father would hate her and be mad at her forever.

"That being said, I can't lie to you. I am extremely disappointed in the predicament that you're in. I hate that you've found yourself in this situation. I hate that you didn't use your best judgment when it came to sex, and I hate that you're thinking about ending your pregnancy. You can't just…"

Olivia gave him a look, wordlessly telling him that the tangent he was about to go on was inappropriate.

"But we're not here to lecture you," Olivia interrupted.

"No. we're not," Fitz added, trying to course correct. "I'm here to say that I support you, Karen, but I cannot get behind your decision to terminate your pregnancy. I honestly think it's the wrong call. I will still love you just the same if you go through with it, but I cannot support you ending a life. It's just wrong."

"I appreciate that you support me, but please don't make me feel guilty about it."

"I'm not trying to make you feel guilty."

"You are! You're saying that it's life, but I just don't see it that way. And even if I did, I'm just not ready right now."

"I understand that sentiment. I wasn't ready when your mother and I found out she was pregnant with Jerry, but honey, when stuff like this happens you just _get_ ready. No one is ever really ready to be a parent."

"Well I'm sure you were more ready than _me_. You were at least married!"

"You don't have to be married to have a baby."

Karen rolled her eyes with disdain. "Really, dad? Please don't be ridiculous. If I had come to you saying that I was pregnant, and I was keeping it, we would be having a different conversation, one that involved pushing me to marry the father to raise the baby in _healthy_ environment with two parents."

"I would never do that. And I resent that accusation."

Rolling her eyes again, "Sure," she replied.

"Karen, please, I just want you to know that you have so much support. I know you say you're not ready, but you have every resource available to you. Everything that you could possibly need to raise this baby and finish school in four years is available to you. If you need a nanny, we will hire one. If you need a night nurse so that you can study, we will find one. There is nothing you have to be worried about in that regard."

"There is nothing I have to be worried about? How can you say that with a straight face? I have everything to be worried about if I keep it."

"I didn't mean that you won't have anything to worry about. I just mean in terms of what it takes to take care of this baby, honey. I will make sure you have every resource at your disposal. You will have everything you had as a child, everything that Charlotte has right now. Just months ago Charlotte was in the same stages as your baby, and look how perfect she is now. You love her, and you will love your baby too."

"OH MY GOD! Just stop!" Karen yelled.

Olivia gave him another look, letting him know that he was taking it too far.

"Karen, I'm not trying to convince you to keep this baby. I'm just trying to let you know that if one of your deciding factors is lack of support, financially or emotional support, if you're scared that you won't have everything you need, everything that Charlotte has, you don't have to be. You will have whatever you need to raise this baby."

"Except for a father who's not an idiot!" She pulled out her phone and fiddled with it until she found an image of Ian shot-gunning a beer while cupping an indiscernible girl's breast. Olivia and Fitz were both taken aback by the image, quickly gathering that the boy in the photo was Ian.

"So you're right. If I carry this to term, it would have everything that Charlotte has except for an 18-year-old dad who probably will want nothing to do with it. Charlotte is lucky! She will not only have everything that she could possibly need or want, but she also has a mother _and_ a father who love her, who want the best for her, who will do whatever it takes to make sure she has an amazing life. This _thing_ I'm carrying will never have what she has. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN'T SEE HOW UNFAIR IT IS FOR ME TO RAISE A CHILD BY MYSELF," she yelled.

"Oh great! It will have nannies and a night nurse! But what about everything else?! What about a father who teaches him how to throw a baseball or takes her to father-daughter dances. If I have this baby, I will be all alone. I should be jumping up and down because the kid has a nanny? _Right_. But it won't have a mom around because I will literally be working all the time to make sure it has everything else it needs. Oh but wait! It will have a trust fund from granddad, so everything will just be a-okay. Do you hear yourself, dad? It's not just about support. It's about everything in between. Even if Ian steps up, we will never be together _ever_. There will likely be no quote, unquote _co-parenting _or whatever bullshit you and mom have. I will be a single mom, and that has to be the hardest, scariest job in the world. Every decision that needs to be made I will have to make by myself. I don't want that. I want what you have with Liv! And it's not fair that you think I don't deserve that. Dad, I am _going_ to med school. That is a thing that _will_ happen. After this year, I will have seven more years of school. You're telling me that you think it's okay for a nanny to raise a child that I can't because I'm in school, and it has no father to help out? Okay, so let's say you and Liv step up to the plate. Then, my baby will resent me and be jealous of Charlotte because he or she doesn't _actually_ have what Charlotte has. Instead, they'll have grandparents raising them because I'm too busy in school."

"Dad, I have thought about this every single fucking day for twenty-one days. And you know what? Until today I can honestly say I wasn't sure what I was going to do. But then I came home, and I helped with Charlotte and saw you and Liv with her, and now I can say with confidence that I can't give a child everything that it deserves right now. I know I've let you down, but I'm not keeping this baby," she said, ending in hysterical crying.

Neither Fitz nor Olivia had anything to say. There was not a single sentence they could think to utter. Olivia walked over to her and sat beside her. Karen crumbled into her body as Olivia stroked her hair and rubbed her back.

"It's okay," she whispered to her over and over again. Olivia looked to Fitz who looked just as broken as Karen. For the first time since he heard the news, he could honestly say that he understood his daughter's point of view, and it hurt him to come to that realization. He was beginning to understand that by his logic, his daughter would be acting as a surrogate, and that's not what he wanted for her or what she wanted for herself. For eighteen years, he decided what was best for all of children, decisions that he didn't take lightly. But for the first time, not only was he wrong about what was best for his daughter, his strong beliefs were also put into question. Needing some space to think, he got up, kissed the crown of Karen's head, as she practically sat in Olivia's lap, and left the room.

* * *

><p>Fitz lay in bed with Olivia's head on his chest as she listened to his pounding heartbeat. Two hours later, they were still processing the conversation that transpired with Karen. While Fitz went upstairs to shower and get his head in a better space, Olivia sat with Karen, trying to console her and figure out the next course of action. Mental exhaustion, which turned into physical fatigue, was getting the best of them as they cuddled in their California King.<p>

"I feel like such a fucking jackass, a self-righteous prick," Fitz said softy, caressing Olivia's side.

"You're not any of those things. You're a concerned father with strong convictions. Maybe you were a little misguided, maybe we both were, but it's only because you love her so much. It's only because you want to protect her from any potential hurt, any potential trauma. I understand that, and she understands that, too."

"I'm too embarrassed to even look her. She _does_ deserve what we have, what she grew up with before the divorce. I want that for her. I hate that for even for a second she thinks I don't want that for her, that my words and actions made her feel like that. I want _so much_ for her, everything for her," he said with his eyes roaming the ceiling.

"Hey," she said, lifting her head off of his chest, trying to get him to make eye contact with her. When he met her gaze, she continued, "There was just no _right_ way to handle this. We're doing the best we can."

"So are you going to take her?" he asked, still in disbelief that he had come to the conclusion that Karen's abortion needed to happen.

"I think it's best I stay neutral in this situation. We talked downstairs, and I think Quinn is going to take her. She's always felt comfortable with her. She's always told her things that she wouldn't tell us, so she's going to go with her. Quinn is fine with it, and so is Karen."

"Times like this, I wish I was back in school sitting around with my friends, listening to Led Zeppelin,smoking a joint. No real responsibilities. I could use the relief."

"I could probably make us some edibles," she suggested halfheartedly.

Shocked, he squeezed her side and raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'm kidding," she said, poking his chest.

"Of course you are. I know you, Ms. Perfect, could not be serious about something like that."

"Oh I know a guy," she replied confidently.

"Yeah right," he said unconvinced by her claim.

"Fitz, _everyone_ knows a guy."

"Oh really? Because I'm fairly certain I don't know a guy. I haven't known a guy in twenty-five years."

"That's because you're _old_ and _lame_," she teased.

"I don't know need no stinkin' drugs," he said, sounding every bit like an elderly man. "Especially when I have you," he said, tapping her ass.

She giggled. "You are so consistently corny," she joked.

He roughly pulled her on top of him and gave her obnoxiously wet kisses all over.

"F-F Fitz, stop," she protested through giggles.

"What? I'm so consistently _horny_," he replied as he began to tickle her sides in between his kisses.

"Old man ears!" she yelled as she tried to move out his grasp. Realizing that her roaring laughter could probably wake up the house, he stopped his horseplay, gathering her in his arms as she caught her breath. She rubbed her nose against his nose before placing a brief kiss on his lips. She placed her head back on his chest and continued to listen his heart beat.

In an instant, he was reminded that he had everything to be grateful for, despite the crisis he was going through with his daughter. Olivia was his pillar, and with her by his side, he and his daughter would get through this hurdle together.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there you have it. Karen having an abortion felt like the most organic thing to do. A few of you pointed out that Karen's pregnancy isn't actually like Charlotte, a valid argument that I always wanted to save until the end of the debate. It went back and forth about whether it should come from Olivia or from Karen, but I think that as a parent, it would be more powerful hearing that from your child. I also wanted Karen to have a voice as well. This was a really tough call and tough to write, and I know some readers won't agree with it, but I hope I didn't offend anyone in the process. There's still a little ways to go with this story line. Something major like this will have repercussions for not only Karen, but the entire family, in big and small ways. I promise I will write some light, fluffy stuff too. It's why I added the last portion of the chapter. I'd love to know your thoughts! Was Karen's speech effective enough? Is she making the right choice? Are Olivia and Fitz handling it okay? Let me know what you think! <strong>


	6. Chapter 6

Sitting at his desk, Fitz attempted to be present in a meeting, but his mind was in another place. He was in a complete trance as he tried to project plan with two of his top account executives, Lauren and Michael.

"So we're thinking of allotting half a dozen billboards along I-395 and to reach our GRP," Lauren said to Fitz and Michael. But it was clear that only Michael had her attention. They were working on a holiday campaign for a toy store chain, but it was difficult to work when all he could focus on was Karen. He looked at his watch as Lauren and Michael discussed plans amongst themselves, realizing that Karen and Quinn were headed to what he deemed the most dreaded appointment. He was worried beyond belief about his daughter. Part of his worry felt natural, given that it was, in fact, a medical procedure. She could have been getting her wisdom teeth removed, and he would still feel some concern. The other part was anxiety thinking of the aftermath.

_I wonder how she's doing right now. They should probably be there soon. Is she going to be okay after this? Will she be different? What if something goes wrong? Is she going to be alright physically?_ His thoughts were running together, and he could literally feel his chest tighten by the thought of her being in distress in any way.

"I feel like we should be focusing more on new media. What are your thoughts, Fitz?" Lauren asked."Fitz," she called once more, trying to get his attention.

"Sorry," he said, finally becoming present for the conversation. "I suggest we focus on…" he started, but stopped as he tried to make out the figure across the hall in his assistant, Marsha's office. This was one of the drawbacks of having glass walls in office spaces. Even when he wasn't distracted by thoughts of his daughter, noticing people in the halls regularly sidetracked him._ Is that Olivia_, he wondered. The way her dark wash jeans hugged her frame looked frame looked all too familiar. He kept his focus on the woman in question until she turned her head. In a peach blouse and a cream cardigan, he recognized his wife in an instant. _What is she doing here and in Marsha's office_?

Realizing he was in the middle of a sentence, he distractedly continued. "Yes. New media. Let's do buys on social networks. No banner ads," he finished. "Let's reconvene a little later," he said as he noticed his wife approaching his office.

"Okay," Michael agreed. "Sounds good," Lauren added as they both left their seats in front of his desk and exited his office.

As the pair left his office, Lauren was stopped by Olivia who greeted her warmly before she finally walked in his office.

Standing to address her, "What are you doing here?" he asked as she came fully inside.

"Hello to you too, mister," she responded, moving to meet him as he stood behind his desk.

"Hi," he corrected himself once she was close to enough to embrace.

"What are you doing here?" he asked again into their tight hug.

"I came to take you out to lunch," she answered when she pulled away.

She knew him well enough to know that he would be a wreck today. She was a wreck today as noted by her forgetting her purse and cell phone and instead grabbing Charlotte's baby bag and a remote control on her way to his office. Her mind was on all things Karen, and she knew his was as well. She should have been working, but since her mother was no longer caring for Charlotte and the new nanny hadn't started yet, she opted to work from home. But wanting to ease her husband's nerves, she offered Abby an extended lunch break to take care of Charlotte, and loving any opportunity to spend time with Charlotte, Abby jumped at the offer.

Now she was standing in her husband's office, taking in his bemused expression. "Lunch?" he questioned curiously. Though they worked fairly close to each other, they rarely had the chance to eat lunch together.

"Yeah. You've heard of it, right? The meal you eat at midday," she teased. His baffled looked amused her.

He looked at his watch and back at her disappointedly. "Honey, I wish I could, but my planning meeting ran over, and I apparently have a budget meeting in thirty, which I'm actually just finding out about this morning" he explained.

"Not anymore," she said with a smile. "I may or may not have gotten her to place a last minute, 'two hour budget meeting,' on your schedule yesterday, so that I could borrow you for a bit," she said nervously, hoping he wouldn't be annoyed with her intrusion of his schedule.

"Sneaky," he said with a smile, loving the idea of having some alone time with her. "What kind of favors did you have to do to pull that off?" he asked, knowing what a regimented scheduler his assistant was. "I tried to get her to bump a budget meeting last month so I could go golfing with Martin, and she said, and I quote, 'Unless the driving range is another word for finance committee, it's not going to happen,'" he recalled to her.

Laughing at Marsha's no nonsense attitude, "Just the promise of red velvet cupcakes, and she did it for me. Plus, she obviously likes me more," Olivia teased.

"Obviously," he replied. "You know she's turning out to be my best assistant yet," he added.

"Well anyone would have been better than Insane Asylum," she replied. They rarely talked about his old assistant, Jennifer, but when they did it was always with a reference to her mental state.

"That's true."

"Have you heard anything about Loony Bin?"

"Actually, Lauren was telling me that she heard she was in some rehab facility in Denver. And her brother, you won't believe this, is in some federal penitentiary for drug trafficking."

"Why am I not surprised by any of that? Anyway, are you ready?" she asked as she grabbed his hand. "We have reservations at a new restaurant at the W. I heard they have the best cheesecake."

He pulled her closer to him and quickly kissed her lips. "You know why I like being married to you?" he asked as he pulled away. "Your ability to choose restaurants based solely on their dessert menu."

Giggling, "Hmmm is that why?" she asked.

"And the fact that you take me out to lunch on days that I need it most," he said seriously as his thoughts went right back to Karen.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she replied, gently stroking his hair. "She's going to be okay. I spoke with Quinn, and they're on their way now. She's going to keep me updated," she explained.

He nodded, still trying to wrap his head around her decision.

"Now, we've got two-ish hours before I have to get Charlotte from Abby and make sure you're back for a real meeting."

"Let's do it," he responded as they made their way out the door.

* * *

><p>An hour later, they were seated at a two-person table at the W Hotel's newest Contemporary, Southern influenced restaurant. They were in the middle of their meal and seated far too close to each other, but neither cared.<p>

"Mhmmm. This is the best kale slaw I've ever had," she said as she finished the last of her side dish.

Fitz turned up his nose. "That is just unheard of. Nothing with kale in the name could possibly be good."

"Honey, you've got to let go of your kale hatred. Just open up your heart to it. Just let it happen," she said lightheartedly.

"Never."

"It's a superfood. It's good for you, you know."

"It's super fucking disgusting."

She shook her head in disagreement, chuckling at his strong distaste for the vegetable.

"_And_, might I add, they're just _boring_ collard greens. They are generic collard greens. Knock-offs. They will never be as tasty or delicious as collards."

Laughing at his enthusiasm over the leafy green, "You're the worst," she said as she put her fork down and picked up his hand to hold over the table.

"No. I'm just firmly Team Collards. You've chosen your alliance, and it's clearly Team Kale."

She leaned in to kiss him, completely over their vegetable debate. "Silly," she said against his lips. Without hesitation, he cupped her face with one hand and deepened it.

She pulled away with a smile on her face. There would never be a time when she grew tired of his lips touching hers. Kissing him was one of her all-time favorite things.

Wanting to feel more of it, she threw the napkin that lay on her lap on the table. "Are you ready?"

He raised an eyebrow at her urgency. They were literally just finishing up lunch, and she was ready to leave.

"No room for desert? I thought you wanted to try their cheesecake."

"I will. We will. In a bit."

"In a bit?"

"Yeah. There should be a few slices in our room upstairs," she said casually.

"You got us a room?"

She grabbed her purse, pulled out a room. Grinning, he was pleasantly surprised by the gesture.

"Are you ready?" she asked again as she threw a few bills on the table and slipped the room key in her back pocket.

Eager to be alone with her, he hastily stood up, accidentally shaking the table in the process.

"Come on," he replied, extending his hand to her to help her up. He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her out of the hotel's restaurant to the nearest elevator.

If it wasn't for the elevator attendant, he would have pounced on her the moment they were inside.

"What floor?" the attendant asked, as they settled inside.

"Five," Olivia replied, excitedly. She loved the idea of sneaking her husband away for a midday tryst. It felt like a much needed change from their daily routine, which had become ordinary at best and mundane at worst. Despite the love and joy Charlotte brought to their life, the littlest Grant necessitated a level of predictability in their routines. But they didn't mind, especially when they were able to escape and have moments like this. It made their time together even more special.

When the elevator doors opened, she hurriedly pulled them in the direction of their room. With his hands roaming her body and his lips attacking her neck, they could barely walk straight as they approached their room door. Standing in front of the suite's threshold, his hands wandered to her bottom where he pulled out the hotel key from the back pocket of jeans.

She slid out of his embrace for a moment. "Close your eyes," she whispered as he eased the door open. She pulled his hand away from her ass and led him inside until they were in the middle of the room.

When she dropped his hand, he figured it was to undress, but when she asked him to open them, he was surprised to see her still fully clothed. She pointed to the bed where a large wicker basket sat. He could tell from the chocolates and potato chips, it was filled with some of his favorite snacks. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it was also filled with items that he had casually mentioned needing and wanting within the last few weeks. He spotted a new water bottle for the gym, a running jacket and new boxers. He pulled out a Malcolm Gladwell book, a bottle of craft beer he wanted to try and a replica vintage baseball he'd been dying to have.

"What's all this for, babe?" he asked as he dug through the basket.

"I don't know. I guess it's my way of saying I know this week has been rough, and I know you've had a lot on your mind. And I just wanted to make it a little better." He placed the basket on the floor and took a seat on the edge of the bed, pulling her on his lap so that she straddled him.

" I should have known something was up when you were up making Karen something similar last night," he said before pecking her lips. "You didn't have to do any of this. You've already made this situation better by taking care of Charlotte so selflessly, and by listening to me and being there for Karen, comforting her every single night this week. You do so much for me and our family."

She shrugged off his compliment. "That's what wives are for. I kind of want one myself. We're better than husbands," she joked as she helped him out of his suit jacket.

"Ouch," he replied.

"_Kidding_," she said in a high pitched voice.

"But if that's an invitation to bring in a third party, I'm…"

Gasping at where she knew he was going with his comment, she interrupted him. "Fitzgerald!" she scolded, slapping his chest.

"_Kidding_," he replied, mocking her tone.

These were the moments when he was overwhelmed by the love he felt for his wife, when her giving and supportive nature made him feel like he was living a dream.

He flipped them over so that she was resting on her back while he hovered over her. Throwing her arms over his shoulders, she pulled him down for a blistering kiss. He clumsily attempted to remove her clothes with their lips fused. Realizing he was fumbling at his attempt to get her undressed, he broke their kiss and quickly helped her out of her cardigan and blouse, pushing them off of her body and onto the floor. He caressed her thighs over her jeans, taking in the sight of her breasts spilling out of her bra, a lavender, molded, embroidered cup bra that he was certain he'd never seen before.

As much as she got a thrill out of undressing for him, watching him watching her, she equally enjoyed having him remove every article of her clothing, having him kiss each piece of newly revealed skin as he stroked and caressed her.

He wasted no time unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans, eagerly pulling them off of her legs and leaving the material on the floor. She smiled at him as he noticed her matching lavender, satin briefs with a tulle, embroidered center. The excitement that set into his face gave her a new wave of confidence. Though she felt comfortable in her skin post-baby and worked out regularly to maintain her physique, she wasn't in a hurry to lose her baby weight, an unconcern for Fitz entirely.

"Jesus, Liv," he whispered as he rubbed the skin of her thighs, cementing the sight of her lavender clad body for his recollection. "These are new," he noted confidently.

"These _are_ new," she confirmed. "For you," she said coquettishly.

He used the weight of his body to push her further into the mattress as he rested his frame on top of hers. Intertwining their fingers, he held her hands at the sides of her head as he continued to kiss her feverishly. He let go of one her hands to unhook and peel her bra off of her body. Realizing that they didn't have a lot of time, he pulled away from her lips to slide down her body and rest comfortably between her legs.

He kissed her core through her satin panties, sending a jolt of arousal through her body. She wanted her briefs off, but when she attempted to remove them herself, he pushed her hands away.

"Fitz," she pleaded as she continued to tug at her undergarments. "Please get them off," she begged, writhing on the bed at the thought of his lips making direct contact with her core.

Using his teeth, he yanked the sides of the silk fabric until they were far enough down her thighs to pull off her body completely.

On his knees, he held her legs in his forearms, watching her breathing become increasingly shallow. Her desire for him was growing tenfold, but he had yet to touch her the way she needed him to.

"I swear to god, Fitz. You better make a move, or I'm putting my clothes back on," she said, not particularly in the mood for his brand of teasing.

"And here I thought motherhood was supposed to make you more patient," he said with a smirk.

"Baby, please," she whined. "I just want to feel you," she said, pulling me him down to her. He released he legs, allowing her to wrap them around his waist. The feeling of her bare skin on his covered body created the most delightful friction, but she needed much more. She pulled his tucked shirt out of his pants and proceeded to unbutton his top, carelessly ripping off buttons in the process.

"Easy tiger," he said against her lips of her aggressive undressing.

Exhaling in frustration, "Get out of these pants," she urged.

He obliged, lifting off of her to quickly remove his pants and boxers.

"Happy?" he asked when he was fully naked.

"Very," she replied with a grin as she reached to grab his rigid length. "Now are you going do your job or are you going to talk?"

"You are very feisty today," he said as he slid inside of her with her assistance.

"Y-Y-You," she tried to speak, but when he began to thrust forward, her words escaped her. Her moans of utter satisfaction did the communicating for her.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" he teased as he pumped in and out of her.

Giggling, she bit his shoulder while her hand firmly gripped his ass. "Deeper," she insisted, matching his stride with her hips.

Despite her initial urgency, their love making was unhurried, filled with languid strokes and delicate kisses, just the way they both preferred. Her soft whimpers and consistent moans let him know that he was doing a job well done, but when she constricted around him, he knew that she was nearing her peak. His traveled to the most sensitive parts of her body to assist her.

"Are you almost there, beautiful?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"All-I-I…close," she managed to say as her orgasm hit her abruptly. Trembling with both desire and satisfaction, "K-Kiss me," she demanded breathlessly, searching his focused, scrunched face for eye contact. He laid sloppy kisses on her lips while using all of his energy to forcefully thrust into her until he was ready to release inside of her. He clung to her tightly and groaned her name as their breathing normalized.

Rolling off of her sweaty form, he turned their bodies so they were facing each other. He gave her a quick peck, threw the hotel's plush comforter down and covered their bodies with a sheet.

"Looks like I'm going to have to make a trip home to get another shirt for my meeting," he said as he spotted his ripped shirt on the floor.

She shook her head and pointed to a duffel bag in corner of the room. "I came prepared. There's a garment bag in the closet, too. I checked in before I picked you up," she explained.

"You are something else," he relied, taking her hand and kissing her open palm. "I don't want to go back to work. I want to hang out in this bed all day with you."

"I wish we could."

"We can."

"If I don't get you back in time for your meeting at three, Marsha might kill me. It was part of the deal. I have to get you back on time. Besides, I have to pick up Char and run some errands. We've got a very long Target list."

"Oh Lord," he said rolling his eyes.

"What?"

"Don't think I missed your Target charge on our last statement. I don't know how you spend that type of money in a store like that."

"Babe, you go in for toilet paper and dish soap, and you leave with twenty other items. I can't help it. It's the way it is."

"You couldn't stop yourself from a purchasing a $100 toaster that makes eggs? That was a must have item for you?"

She sighed. "I brought Teddy with me, and he thought it was really cool."

"This is why you need to avoid those stores when you're with eight year olds. You can't say no to him."

"But it made him so happy," she tried to justify. "We had breakfast for dinner that night, and I didn't see you complain when you were chomping on our toast, mister."

"What are you going to do when Charlotte starts asking for things? Give into her every whim?"

"Like you don't do that now. If anyone needs to be concerned about spoiling our daughter it's you."

"Oh whatever. You don't let her cry for a second without picking her up."

"Ooh," she gushed. "But she's so cute when those chubby cheeks start to shake and those Michelin Man arms start to flail. I can't help it!"

Olivia's cell phone rang in her purse on the floor on the other side of the suite. She took the sheet off his body, away from the bed, and wrapped it around her frame to retrieve it. She picked it up and saw a series of texts from Quinn. From the serious look on her face, Fitz immediately grew concerned.

"What is it, Livvie?"

"It's Quinn. She's just um…updating me."

"Is everything okay? Is Karen alright?" he asked as he hopped out of the bed to get closer to her.

She nodded her and showed him the text message. "It's done," she said with watery eyes.

The look on his face was one of relief and disappointment, an expression she'd rarely ever seen. He wrapped his arms around her body, and she leaned up to kiss his forehead. Their brief escape was put to an end in an instant, and they mentally prepared to go back to the real world.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Not a ton of plot here. Just wanted to write some lighter stuff while also hitting some plot points. The next chapter will likely, in part, be told in Karen's POV. I have just been so blown away by your responses to this story. There have been so many strong, interesting opinions, and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading them. <strong>Let me know what you think of Olivia's surprise hotel rendezvous. Also, full disclosure, I'm Team Collards lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)<strong>**


	7. Chapter 7

Refolding and storing t-shirts, Karen had been back in New York for a full week after her sudden trip to D.C., and she was just getting around to unpacking. She had been quite busy the last few days trying to catch up from the four days she missed of class. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror in front of her dresser drawer. She couldn't deny how tired she looked. She had never seen herself with bags before, but with constant paper writing and tests to study for, she didn't find herself in a position to sleep. She honestly didn't even want to sleep. When she was busy, when she focused on studying and friends, she could successfully avoid unwanted thoughts. But when she was sleeping, when her subconscious dictated her thoughts, there was no limit to what her mind conjured up these days, and it was scary.

She couldn't describe the feeling, but she honestly didn't feel like herself the last few days. Maybe it was the abortion. That reasoning felt unlikely, but maybe that was the reason she was in such somber spirits. It could have been that fact that despite her father's words of support, she felt like a huge disappointment. Or maybe it was the breakup with Zach. Perhaps it was the fact that she bombed a major Chemistry exam for the second time this semester. Whatever it was, she didn't like her normal self. She just wanted to be alone. Despite the fact that one of the nurses advised against excessive isolation after her procedure, it was the only thing she wanted. And it was the only thing she wanted, but didn't receive when she was back in D.C. She knew it was ridiculous to be annoyed with her family when they were only trying to make sure she was okay. She appreciated their support, but she couldn't help but feel like they were hovering.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

_How the hell did I get her? Karen wondered as she sat in her bedroom, staring at her walls, which were covered with pictures of her and her high school best friends. She missed those girls, and at a time like this, she needed them in their hometown. She wanted nothing more than to be sitting on her bed with her best friends, eating leftovers from the bakery with a pint of ice cream and listening to music, just like they did all summer, just like they did in high school._

_Today was surreal. It was the only way to describe it. She never thought she would be in this position. She never thought that she would find herself in an abortion clinic, and she never thought that she would have gone through with something like that. It was crazy to think that just two hours prior she was pregnant, and now she wasn't. She rubbed her stomach as she contemplated that fact. "I'm not pregnant anymore," she said softly. "There's nothing there," she confirmed to herself. And that fact alone her a sense of solace. She let out a sigh of relief knowing that she was no longer pregnant._

_She heard a soft tap on the door, taking her out of her thoughts. She rolled her eyes as she looked at the clock. It was 5:30, and she knew it had to be either her father or Olivia checking in on her. Her two hours of solitude were now ending._

_"Come in," she said quietly, trying her hardest not to sound annoyed._

_"Hi," she heard as Olivia crept inside._

_"Hey," she said, attempting to sound cheerful._

_Olivia sat down on her bed and gave her a once over, trying to make sure she looked okay, to make certain she looked like and seemed like herself._

_"How'd it go?" Olivia asked, trying to be sensitive._

_"Fine. I don't know if that's the right word. It went okay medically if that's what you're asking," she replied._

_"Good. How are you? Are you doing okay? How are you feeling?"_

_She stared at her trying to think of the correct response. Could she tell her that she felt relieved? Would she think she was a horrible person if she told her that she honestly felt like a burden had been lifted? Was that an appropriate response?_

_"Okay," she answered, wanting to avoid the guilt of verbalizing that she felt perfectly fine and relieved._

_"Alright," Olivia responded, realizing that Karen wasn't in the mood to have a conversation. She understood that, so she opted to give her space._

_"If you need anything, I'm right down the hall. Your dad should be home shortly. I went grocery shopping, so the pantry is full of snacks. I'm making baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and asparagus for dinner. I know it's one of your favorites," Olivia said with a weak smile._

_"Thanks, Liv," she said, trying not to sound distant._

_Olivia got up off of her bed and moved to leave the room. Before she closed the door, she stuck her head inside. "Will you let us know if you need anything?" she asked._

_"Yeah. I will."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise."_

_When Olivia left, she let out another sigh of relief to be left alone again. She just needed time to think, and she was starting to feel smothered. I'm being ridiculous, she thought to herself. No one is trying to smoother me. They just want to help me, she tried to tell herself. But it felt like the walls were closing in. It was probably just the fact that she was back in D.C., she tried to justify. She just needed space. She needed to go back to New York as soon as possible._

* * *

><p>As she finally finished packing and put her suitcase away, her roommate, Ally, returned from her afternoon class. Ally threw her books down and launched herself onto her bottom bunk.<p>

"Ugh, did I mention that I hate that American Lit class? It is so boring," Ally said tiredly.

"You've mentioned it," Karen replied, disinterestedly.

"Are you leaving again?" she asked, noticing Karen's suitcase.

"No. Just finally putting my things away from my last trip."

"Good. Because there's this bonfire I want you to come to tonight."

"Ally, I can't. I have class tomorrow morning."

"So do I. We'll be back tomorrow morning. Come on. It will be fun."

"Where the hell is someone having a proper bonfire around here?"

"It's not here. It's in New Canaan."

"You seriously think I'm going to a Bonfire an hour away?"

"Everyone is going. We're all taking the last train tonight."

"You've got to be kidding me. Who the hell is in New Canaan?"

"Melissa's new boyfriend, and he is rich as fuck. His house is huge. You have to go. I don't want to go by myself. And I went to that random house party in Chelsea with you a few weeks ago. You owe me one."

Karen rolled her eyes, and contemplated it for a moment.

"When are you are coming back?" Karen asked.

"Probably tomorrow morning. He's letting us crash at his place. We're taking the first train back. I promise you'll be home before your first class."

As she was about to decline her offer, several loud thuds interrupted their conversation. She knew immediately who it was before she opened it.

"Come in, Ian," Karen yelled.

"What's up, Kare?" he said as he made himself comfortable on the futon in their room.

"Not much. What's going on, Ian?"

"Same. You've been MIA, and I just wanted to see what was up with you. You good?"

"I am fine," she said convincingly.

"Did you get any of my texts?" he asked.

"I did, but I was super busy with my family. Sorry."

"That's fine. You wanna come to my room later."

"Uh…I'm actually busy. I'm hanging out with Ally tonight."

"That's cool. Get up with me when you're free. Maybe we can get lunch tomorrow," he said as he got up from the chair.

"Maybe," she said politely as he left the room.

Seeing him brought an unexpected wave of anxiety. She took a seat at the futon where he was seated, needing to get herself together.

"Are you okay?" Ally asked, noticing her face grow pale.

"I'm fine," she said for what felt like the thousandth time in seven days.

"Are you really going to come out tonight?" Ally asked brightly.

"I think so," Karen agreed reluctantly. Anything would be better than running into or even trying to avoid Ian. She couldn't explain why, but she wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

* * *

><p>"You're pulling out too fast, babe," Olivia said nervously.<p>

"This is the way you do it. Let a pro teach you," Fitz replied.

"No. You have to tap. Just tap. Don't pound it," Olivia responded. They were enthralled in a heated game of Jenga on their living room floor, and Olivia was growing anxious waiting for the inevitable toppling of the pieces on their coffee table. Charlotte had just been put down, and they were trying to keep quiet, but with the bottle of wine they were quickly consuming paired with the sounds of Miles Davis, they were creating a boisterous atmosphere.

"Pull from the top," Olivia instructed further.

Fitz turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to let me play? Or are you going to boss me around?"

She playfully rolled her eyes, and he leaned in for a kiss.

"You're just not doing it right," she explained after she pulled away from their lip lock.

"Since when have you become the queen of Jenga?"

"Since I realized that you're terrible at it. You gotta get better. If we play this at Andre and Michelle's game night next week, you've got to get it together. I want to win," she said light heartedly.

"Oh we're going to win. We always win," he said as he scooted closer to her and pulled her onto his lap.

"You know they just moved into their new house last weekend," Olivia tried to mention causally.

"Oh really? I knew it was happening soon, but I didn't know when."

"Yeah. It's very beautiful. It's sort of got this Colonial Revival feel with a flare in Georgetown," she described.

"That sounds nice. I can't wait to see it."

"There's actually a home for sale about a block away, and I went to check it out when I was helping her unpack and…"

"Liv," he said with a sigh knowing exactly where she was headed.

"What?" she asked pointedly. "You said we would table the discussion. And we have. For an entire week."

He peered at her, trying to figure out her disposition and how much pushback he could give her with it turning into a fight. From the look on her face, he knew she was resolved, and there was no getting out of the conversation.

"Why now? Why can't we wait another twelve months?" he asked.

"You _know_ why now? You're the one who…"

"You know that's not what I meant," he said cutting her off. "And you also know we had good reasons for waiting."

"Well they're not good enough anymore," she said as a matter of fact.

"Giving Teddy stability isn't a good enough reason?"

"I want him to have stability, and he will have it. He's adjusted perfectly fine with Charlotte being here. Better than we could have ever imagined. He's not jealous. He's sweet, protective and always willing to help. I think he can handle a 10 minute move. His school is private, so it's not like redistricting matters.

"But what about wanting to hold out on making another major investment? We just bought a house in Atlanta last year."

"_You_ bought a house in Atlanta. A decision I fully supported despite the fact that I had reservations. Fitz, I just want something that's ours together. I don't want to feel like you could kick me out whenever we have a fight. I don't want to feel like I don't have a stake here."

"I'm not the one who runs every time we argue. I'm not the one who needs space when we get in a fight. I have never and will never kick you out of any home of ours. You know that."

Getting annoyed, she grimaced and tried to get off of his lap, but he wouldn't let her.

"See?" he questioned with a smirk. "You would be half way into the kitchen if I let you go," he said squeezing her. "I don't want to fight you with, Liv. I just want to make a smart financial decision. Just because we have the means to make a move like this doesn't mean we should it on a whim."

"This is not a whim! We've thought about this. We've talked about this. This was always the plan. It's just coming sooner than we discussed."

"What about the renovations we wanted to make before we put this on the market. The kitchen tile and appliances need updating. The half bathroom needs work. The only real selling point we have right now is the backyard. We decided on a year because we didn't want to live in a home with demolition happening while Charlotte was barely a year old. So what do you suggest? We start demo with a six month old, so that we can get the house on the market as soon as possible. Liv, come on. That's crazy."

"Fitz," she said slowly. "This is not one of those things I'm even remotely willing to compromise on. Not in the slightest."

"You're not willing to compromise because I said something stupid? Because you got your feelings hurt? Had I not made that dumb comment we wouldn't even be talking about this."

"But you did. So we are. And we're moving. You need to get on board. Wrap your head around it. It is a thing that will happen within the next three to six months if not sooner."

He rubbed his temples as he tried to control his temper. She was so serious, and there was nothing he could say to change her mind.

"How much is this house?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"Four. But I think we could get them to come down a half mill."

"How many rooms?"

"Six bedrooms. 4 and a half baths."

"Does it need renovations?"

"It doesn't need them per se. We could manage. But I hate the tile in the master bathroom, and I'd like a darker hardwood floor throughout the house."

"Okay. Let's take a look at this week," he said exasperatedly. He could not believe he was agreeing to this, that he was coerced to agree.

"Good. So you're on board?"

He gave her an unintended chuckle. "It looks like I'm going to have to be."

"So it does," she responded sharply, successfully getting out of his lap and walking to the kitchen for another glass of wine.

He was uncomfortable with the way they settled the conversation, so he hopped up and followed her into the kitchen. He watched her pour a glass of wine and take a sip with her back against a countertop.

"Liv," he said as he approached her, pinning her to the counter. "I can't tell you enough how sorry I am for the home comment. It was so stupid."

"You've apologized. I've forgiven you."

"Have you? Because it feels like you haven't. It feels like you're punishing me, like you're trying to make a power play."

She scoffed and took another sip of her wine.

"I'm just telling you what it feels like," he explained, trying not to dig himself further into a hole. "Baby, if this is what will make you happy, if buying a new home tomorrow is what you need to feel comfortable and safe and assured, we will do it. I will buy you ten houses. I will build you homes on every part of the globe if that's what would make you happy. I just need to know that you're not trying to prove a point."

"What point would I have to prove?"

He shrugged not knowing the correct response.

"I want something shared. I want something that's ours, and I don't know how many times I could possibly say that. I'm not trying to prove a point. I'm not a fucking child, Fitz. This is not a power play. Our relationship has _never_ been that way."

He took the wine glass out of her hand, intertwined their fingers, and brought them up to his mouth to kiss. He was saying all the wrong things and everything was coming out wrong. "What I mean to say is that I want you to be certain. I don't want us to rush into this because I hurt your feelings, and you settle for a home that you sort of like just to get us out of this one. When we buy something _together_, I want you to love it. I want you to be satisfied and have enough time to make a thorough decision. It doesn't need to be based on emotion. That's all I'm trying to say. Because I swear, Livvie, we could live in a room as big as Karen's dorm, and I would be fulfilled living there with you. I just want _you_, and I want you happy wherever we are."

She nodded, trying to contemplate his reasoning. The conversation went to a place that she wasn't expecting, and she wanted to switch gears. "Speaking of Karen, have you talked to her recently?"

"I have. She called me at work. She's doing really well all things considered. She seemed really happy, and she said she was hanging out with friends and studying. She's in great spirits," he informed her. "But I don't want to talk about her right now," he said as he picked her up, sat her on the countertop and stood between her legs.

He gazed at her trying to read her blank expression. "Please don't be mad at me," he said longingly.

"I'm not," she assured him. She leaned up to kiss him to prove it. He took advantage of that small moment of vulnerability and gave her a thorough kiss, leaving her panting when he pulled away. She went back for more, matching his passion and fully allowing their tongues to collide. Something sparked inside of her and she was pulling off his clothes, bringing him even closer to her in an instant.

* * *

><p>Karen may have been hesitant to hangout with her roommate and their friends initially, but now that they were in one of the largest estates she'd ever seen, she was having a surprisingly good time. Admittedly, coming from an upper-class family, she had seen her fair share of mansions, but this took the cake. As it turned out, their friend Melissa's boyfriend came from a long line of oil tycoons. She knew as soon as they arrived, their money was long and old.<p>

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by her friends and their eagerness, she stayed behind in the parlor of the home where they had been previously making cocktails. She observed the pristine oil paintings that hung on the walls. As she browsed the decor, one painting in particular grabbed her attention. It was a portrait of an older man in a Union solider uniform with a distinct looking beard. His resemblance to Zach's father was uncanny. She stared at it hard, making out his features. _That could totally pass for Zach's dad_, she kept thinking to herself. She laughed at the beard in particular, a feature of his father's that she and Zach always made fun off. _How did he not get food stuck in there_, they jokingly contemplated when they had dinner with his family. _His family_. She missed them. She missed _him_. She honestly still couldn't believe they weren't together. They hadn't talked in weeks. _Weeks_? That was crazy. To go from speaking to him every day, multiple times a day to no communication at all was unbearable. And it was her fault, which hurt the most. She sent him a text the day she had her abortion, and he didn't respond. She didn't tell him about the procedure. She simply told him that she needed to talk. And he ignored her completely. It devastated her in ways she didn't think were possible. The thought of Zach was too much to take. She walked over to the parlor's bar and poured a shot of something clear. She didn't know what it was, but the burn of the liquid down her throat gave her everything she needed. It was numbing. She _needed_ numbing. _What about the brown stuff_? _Could_ _that make me feel nothing, too,_ she wondered. She took another shot of something dark, and it was delightful and equally numbing. Feeling refreshed, she took two more shots of the dark and the clear liquor, loving the feeling it gave her when it hit the back of her throat. It didn't taste good, but it felt _amazing_. Her hands started to shake, but that was okay. It was a small price to pay to feel absolutely nothing. Sitting there for the first time in almost a month, she didn't feel a single thing. She was so tired of _feeling_. The last week alone was filled with emotions she didn't think she possessed, and it was exhausting. And to make matters worse everyone just _needed_ to know how she was _feeling_. _Are you okay? How are you? What's up with you? _She heard constantly_. She_ was fine. She _WAS_ fine. She was _FINE_. How many times could she possibly say it before anyone believed her? She wanted to be left alone by everyone except for _one_ person. Why wouldn't the _one_ person she needed to hear from ask her how she was doing? This sucked. Everything sucked. Except for the liquor. The liquor was _fine_. It made her numb.

* * *

><p>Neither Fitz nor Olivia knew how they made it to the couch of their living room from the counter of their kitchen, but they did. Naked on his back, Fitz clung to Olivia as she rested on top of him stroking his firm arms, reveling in their <em>almost fight<em>'s make-up sex. Olivia tried to move off him, but he wouldn't allow it, gripping her in place.

"No," he protested softly. "Let's just sleep down here tonight," he suggested as he pulled a throw blanket over their bodies.

"But I don't have Charlotte's monitor. I need to be able to see or hear her. We should just go up, honey," she countered.

Groaning, "Just five minutes," he responded. The thought of moving when he was so comfortable sounded terrible.

She nodded in agreement and kissed the center of his bare chest. As soon as she buried herself further into his body, their house phone rang, a noise that took them both by surprise. So very few people called their home number, they often forgot they had it. Immediately alerted, Olivia sat up and reached behind her to grab their cordless phone from their side table. She looked at the caller ID before passing it to Fitz.

"Baby, it's Mellie."

Alarmed, he answered immediately. "Hey, Mel. It's late. What's up?"

"Fitz!" Mellie yelled so loudly into the phone Olivia could hear her. "You need to get here. You need to get here now."

"Is it Teddy?" he said, gently pushing Olivia off of his body so that he could stand.

"It's Karen. She's in the hospital. We have to get to her."

Fitz could not believe he was getting another one of these calls in the middle of the night. And now it was his daughter who was in trouble. He was terrified and annoyed all at once.

"Damn it," he said nervously. "I'll be right there."

He looked to Olivia and started to explain, but she stopped him before he opened his mouth.

"I heard everything. Do you need me to come?"

"No. Just stay here with Charlotte," he responded as he moved from the living room to the kitchen to grab his clothing that scattered all over the tile. Olivia followed him closely. "Baby, are you sure? I don't mind," she said as she watched him dress quickly.

"No," he stated firmly. "Please just stay here with Charlotte."

"Okay," she nodded vigorously. "Hey," she stopped him as he frantically grabbed a set of keys from the counter. She cupped face with both her hands. "It's going to be okay," she said as she pecked his lips quickly. "Please drive safe," she urged.

"It's going to be okay. It's going be okay," he said repeatedly, trying to get her words to sink in as he nervously ran out the door.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter was really tricky to write. Karen is clearly in an unhealthy emotional state, but it's not solely or even because of her abortion. I think that it's a factor. I am fully aware that many women have abortions and have absolutely no negative consequences. This is often the case. I think given Karen's stance on the issue, that life doesn't start at conception, she honestly wouldn't have qualms with the act itself. I think it's more of the fact that she found herself in a position to have an abortion, the fact that she made such a grave mistake, the fact that she feels relief in having it, plus school, and the breakup with Zach that she finds herself in such a peculiar emotional state where it's hard for her to pinpoint her feelings. I REALLY hope that came across. Next chapter, we'll find out more about what happened to Karen. Karen aside, Fitz and Olivia continue to debate about the house. Do you think Olivia is being unreasonable by wanting to move? Should Fitz get on board? Let me know what you think! <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: This chapter is rather dialogue heavy and has pretty strong language. **

* * *

><p>Olivia paced the kitchen floor with Charlotte snugly attached to her chest in her carrier as she waited to hear the latest about Karen. There was no sleep to be had the night before. There was no way she could get an ounce of slumber when her husband was driving close to five hours in the middle of the night with his ex-wife to visit his hospitalized daughter. Olivia was surprised when Fitz told her that he would text her when he arrived in Connecticut. <em>What the hell is in Connecticut?<em>, she continuously asked herself. It was now seven in the morning, and he still hadn't sent her a text or replied to her messages, so she had no idea if he even made it to the hospital. She was about to reach the next level of panic, but Charlotte's adorable little coos distracted her in the most delightful way.

"Hi, baby," she said as she looked down at her darling daughter.

Charlotte peered up at her with her beautiful eyes shining, giggling at her mother's voice. Olivia took her out of the carrier so that she could hold her in her arms. She was too precious in her custom onesie with her initials embroidered largely in the center. If anyone could relax her with a smile, it was her bouncy baby girl who cheered her up without even trying. She took a seat in a kitchen chair and held Charlotte up over her head before swooping her down to kiss her, eliciting infectious laughter from the infant. As she played with her daughter, her phone rang on a nearby countertop. With Charlotte in her arms, she hurried to answer it, breathing a sigh of relief seeing Fitz's name on her screen.

"Honey, did you make it okay?" she asked worriedly.

"We did. I'm sorry I'm just getting a chance to call."

"That's okay. How is Karen?" she asked but was afraid to hear the answer.

He took a deep, audible breath before trying to find the words. "She was…" he started and then paused.

"She was what?" she asked impatiently.

"She was in a car accident last night?"

"OH MY GOD!" she yelled. "Is she okay?"

"She's okay. She has a broken collar bone and incredible bruising. She was unconscious for forty-five minutes," he finished with a sigh.

"What the hell happened?" she asked, adjusting Charlotte on her hip.

"We're still trying to figure out the details. One of her goddamn idiot, drunken friends frantically called Mellie in the middle of the night. We had no idea what was fully going on until we got here about two hours ago."

"But she's conscious now? She's okay?" Olivia asked.

He chuckled to keep from crying. "She's conscious. But I'm not sure if she's okay, Liv. I don't know what the hell is going on with her."

"Honey, car accidents happen…"

"No! She was drinking. She had been drinking a lot from what we can gather."

"WHAT?" Olivia asked stunned by what he was telling her.

"Her blood alcohol-level was nearly three times the legal limit. She could have died from alcohol alone, but she didn't stop there. She and her dumbass friends got into a vehicle for, get this, an ice cream sundae, and they crashed somewhere into a street light, hitting several mailboxes,before landing in a ditch. They totaled the car. There were three other people in the car, and all of them except for the driver, the guy who called Mellie, were hurt. One is in critical condition. No other cars were involved. But this is a mess."

"I can't believe this."

"I can't either. But Karen is stable and resting. I don't know what the hell is going on. It's surreal."

"Where's Mellie?"

"She's in the room with her. I just needed some space. I needed to get a hold of you to let you know what's going on. I have to call work to cancel some meetings. We've got a presentation with the board today. I was supposed to meet with a potential client. Teddy has basketball practice tonight. Shit!" he said, thinking out loud. "Can you pick him up for me? It's my day to pick him up and take him to practice, but obviously neither of us can. I could probably call his sitter."

"No. I'll get him. It's fine. Whatever you need me to do just tell me. But, baby, just breathe. It's okay. You've got a lot on your plate, but everything will be fine. Karen is fine."

He took her suggestion and simply breathed, feeling relief after the panic-stricken hours of worrying. His daughter was, in fact, okay.

"You know, Liv. I'm trying not to lose my patience with her, but what the hell? It's stupid decision after stupid decision. She had an abortion, what, a week or two ago, and this is how she acts? Like it was just no big deal, and she can party her life way? It's unacceptable, and it's not like her. She's responsible. She knows better than to get in a car with a drunk driver, and she sure as hell should know not to drink herself into oblivion."

"I think maybe…" Olivia started.

"I have to talk to her. I have to figure what the hell is going on with her," he interrupted. "I should probably head back inside," he said abruptly.

"Okay," she said, hesitant to let him go.

"I'll keep you updated."

"Alright. Baby, I love you. We love, you," she said as Charlotte started to get impatient on her mother's hip. "Everything is going to be okay."

He could hear Charlotte babbling in the background. "I love you both. I'll call you later," he said before hanging up.

Overwhelmed by the news, she returned to her kitchen chair and played with her daughter. She was trying he best to enjoy their alone time together. Today would be the first day Charlotte spent with her new nanny, Shirley. She tried to stay in the moment with Charlotte, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Karen.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Fitz and Mellie sat on opposite sides of their daughter's hospital bed. She was just waking up and becoming fully alert. A nurse had just left the room after checking her vitals. After explaining her injuries to her, Karen was trying to understand the gravity of the situation. She couldn't remember a thing. The last moment she could recall was yelling at the top of her lungs, "we all scream for ice cream" in the driveway of Melissa's boyfriend estate. Now she was in a hospital with her parents staring at her. She could barely even hold her eyes open without her entire face hurting. She knew they were waiting for an explanation. They sat patiently for two hours waiting for her to say something substantial, but she couldn't.<p>

"I thought this place was at least supposed to give you Jell-O," she murmured jokingly. It was her attempt to lighten the mood as her parents looked in distress.

Mellie smiled and took her daughter's hand in hers, scooting closer to the bed.

"Do you want Jell-O? We could buzz the nurse," Mellie replied, relieved that her daughter had said more than "More morphine," the only phrase she uttered for hours.

"No. I'm fine," Karen responded with a sigh.

"Are you fine enough to explain to us what happened?" Mellie questioned.

"I just can't remember," Karen replied honestly. "I don't know. We had been drinking. And we wanted…dessert. Melissa kept talking about cookie dough ice cream. And now I'm here. Oh my god! Is Melissa okay? Is Ally okay?"

Mellie looked to Fitz, hesitant to reply. He knew that she wanted him to fill in some of the gaps for her.

"Ally, is okay. She's in a similar situation as you. She has a broken leg, but she's fine," he explained.

"What about Melissa?" she asked anxiously.

"Sh-She's um…Melissa suffered from some…the impact of the crash caused severe blunt force trauma," he tried to explain.

"But is she okay?"

"She's in critical condition."

"What does that mean? Is she okay? She's going to be okay, right?" she asked anxiously.

"Honey, we can't say for sure. Her family is keeping us posted," Mellie added.

"IS. SHE. OKAY?" she yelled.

Fitz looked to Mellie who grimaced, hating the inevitable.

"It does not look good, sweetheart," he answered.

Karen erupted into tears upon hearing the news. Fitz moved closer to comfort her, careful of wounds. She did her best to rest her head on his chest as he stood over her. As she sobbed into his body, Fitz noticed a police officer outside of her door. _Shit_, he thought to himself. He gave her a moment to cry before letting go of her. "I need to see what this is about", he said nodding in the direction of the officer.

"Oh my god," Karen said aloud, becoming fearful of the cop's presence.

Fitz left the room, firmly closing the door behind him. They were expecting encounters with law enforcement considering that everyone except the driver was drinking underage. Fitz knew his daughter would be cited with a violation, but he figured they would at least have the decency to wait until she was a little more recovered and capable of speaking in coherent sentences. When he was fully in the hall, he noticed that the officer was accompanied by a younger woman in a fitted, gray pantsuit.

"Officer, Ma'am is there something I can help you with?" he said to the pair.

The man looked down at his badge and back at Fitz. "Oh. I'm not a police officer. Hospital security," he corrected.

Further bemused, "Is there something I can help you with? Have there been more developments? Is this about Melissa?" he asked.

"Hi, Mr. Grant, I presume," the woman said as she extended her hand. "I'm Carla Johnson. I'm a communications coordinator here. We don't mean to disturb your family, but we need to make you aware of the media situation we have outside.

"Media situation? "

"The driver of the car that your daughter was injured in, are you familiar with him?"

"Not really. I just know that he's the boyfriend of her friend. I've not spoken to him since he called us last night," he said as he massaged his temples, realizing that he this was about to get more complicated.

"His name is Charles Britton son of Ralph Britton, the CEO of Pinewood Energy."

Fitz tried to process what she was saying, running the names in his head until it rang a bell.

"The oil company?" he questioned.

"Yes. They're a pretty prominent family in this community, and…"

"They're a prominent family everywhere. It's a multinational corporation. I don't want to be rude, but what exactly are you getting at?" he asked, needing to get the point of the conversation.

"His son is running for a local commissioner seat. There's a lot of interest in his family generally, but especially right now. We wanted to alert you of the media situation outside and the fact that your daughter's name may get thrown in the mix. Reporters might contact your family wanting statements or a recounting of events. There are a few stories out their now, but no one other than Britten has been identified."

Fitz put his hand up realizing what a circus this was becoming. "Why are they here? This is a hospital!" he said pointing to the security officer.

"We're a public hospital. There's only so much we can do," the coordinator explained. "We just wanted to make you aware of the contact that you will likely receive from the press. We also wanted to make you aware of the alternative entrances and exits. The press is very overwhelming right now. They're very interested in this story. And in the past, we have had instances where the press steals access inside of our facilities. If someone approaches you, you do not have to respond. We will communicate on your behalf."

"I'm sorry, but I'm just a little confused. I talked to him last night, and he was fine. He was the one who called us about Karen. He was very drunk when he called us, but he seemed fine."

"I can't give you any information about his exact health status for the interest of privacy. But I will tell you that he has been admitted."

"Christ!" he said as he turned away from them and headed back inside Karen's room.

"Mr. Grant, the alternative entrances and exits are located…" The security officer tried to explain.

He waved them off. "I will find them when I need them, but it looks like I'll be here for a while," he said in a huff.

He returned to Karen's room completely flustered.

"Dad, what was that? How much trouble am I in? Are they going to arrest me?"

"No. You're not getting arrested. You will probably get a citation for underage drinking, but that's it…hopefully. That wasn't police. It was security" he explained.

Karen sighed in relief.

"But don't get too comfortable. Apparently, your friend attracts attention," he said harshly.

"What are you talking about?" Mellie asked.

"There's press outside. The guy you were with, Charles Britton, he's been admitted. And he's apparently running for office. His family's very well known. And it seems like there's a story. It's not about you. It's about him. They just wanted to keep us updated. We have special entrances to avoid the press," he explained. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Karen?" he asked.

When she didn't respond, he continued. "That was not rhetorical! Honey, I am very concerned right now. You have made terrible decision after terrible decision, and now you're in a hospital bed in Connecticut! You're linked with some oil billionaire. You were partying in his house? How could you not know this would lead to some damn spectacle? After last week, I would think you would use better judgment. Sweetheart, what were you thinking?"

"Fitz!" Mellie declared. "Leave her alone! She is hurt, and you're badgering her. Terrible decision after terrible decision? What the hell are you talking about? So what she missed a few days of class. The only reason she was back in town was to take pictures with your _wife_. Calm the hell down," she said in a fury.

"I am not badgering her. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this. This could be become a serious situation if this becomes a real story. Her name could be tied to this. But not only that, she was drinking underage, got so drunk she can't even remember last night, and then decided it would be a great idea to get into a car with a drunken billionaire!" he said. Realizing he was getting worked up, he took a seat.

"Karen, sweetheart, I'm not trying to be harsh. I just want to know what's going on with you. How can I help you?" he asked, desperately.

"You're being dramatic. She made one mistake last night. Don't act like you've never gotten too drunk."

"Mellie, do not excuse her behavior. If you seriously think, I'm angry because she got 'too drunk,' you're mistaken. I am angry because she used the worst possible judgment last night. And it seems like a trend."

"A trend? Are you kidding me? It was one time. Give her a break," she urged once more. "I will not allow you to come down this hard on her for having a little too much to drink."

"This was not a little too much to drink! One of her friends is hanging on for her life, and you're making it out as if it was nothing. Excuse me for being worried that our daughter is going down the wrong path, a path of self-destruction and…"

He stopped himself realizing that Mellie still didn't know about the abortion. For her, it was just some isolated incident. But he was seriously worried that Karen was going through some type of crisis. He was not trying to be self-righteous. He just wanted to get her help. This was not his daughter. He could not accept that. Perhaps if the pregnancy hadn't happened, he could understand that she made a bad decision by excessively drinking. But this situation paired with the abortion showed all of the signs of emotional distress. He knew his daughter well, and he knew she was not this reckless. Not wanting to divulge any information Karen wasn't ready to share, he gave his daughter a knowing look. He saw no point and no way of keeping Karen's abortion a secret from Mellie anymore. But it wasn't his place to tell her.

"Dad, I'm sorry," Karen said quietly, speaking up for herself for the first time. "Can we just hold off on how much of a horrible daughter I am? I can't take it right now. Last week was enough," she said in tears.

He swiftly moved to her bedside and grabbed her hand before kissing her forehead. "You are the farthest thing from horrible. I am just worried about you. I've been worried about you for the last week, and now this?" he said earnestly.

Mellie was feeling completely out of the loop. "What the hell is going on here? Why are you suddenly so worried about our daughter like she's the Antichrist? What the hell happened last week?"

He looked to Karen and back at Mellie. He could tell by the look on Karen's face that she was strangely ready to tell her mom about her pregnancy. Maybe it was the heavy medication or maybe it was because she was in a hospital bed, but suddenly Mellie's dreaded reaction to the news of her pregnancy was the last thing she cared about.

Fitz let go of Karen's hand and kissed her forehead before giving them the room. He went to a nearby waiting room and took a seat needing to clear his head and give them space if Karen decided to tell her. He sat down for a minute before realizing he didn't have his cell phone. He must have left it in the room on Karen's bedside table. He wanted to call Olivia, but he didn't have the energy to hurry back in the room to retrieve it. He took a moment to just relax, resting his head against the wall behind the waiting room chairs and closing his eyes. Before he knew it, he was drifting to sleep.

* * *

><p>Sitting in her office at her Westfield Bakery, Olivia tried to finish payroll. It was next to impossible when all she could think about was Charlotte's first day with her new nanny and Karen in the hospital. Needing a distraction and update on her stepdaughter, she grabbed her cell phone out of her purse and decided to give Fitz a call. He answered after two rings, but to her surprise, when the phone picked up, no one responded.<p>

"Baby? Fitz?" she called to him.

"This is Mellie," she heard in response.

She was more than surprised to be hearing from Mellie on Fitz's cell phone. "Oh! Hi, Mellie. Is my husband nearby?" she asked with confusion evident in her voice.

"No," Mellie replied coldly.

Olivia was growing annoyed and concerned by the second. "Uh. Alright. I was just calling to check up on Karen. Is she okay?"

"Do not act like you give a damn about the well being of my daughter."

"What?" Olivia questioned, shocked by her snippiness.

"Did you give a fuck about her well being when you advised her to get an abortion? When you set it up for her? When you had one of your employees take her? Did you even think about how she would react afterwards?"

Shocked by the harsh tone of Mellie's voice and the anger of her words, Olivia didn't know what to think. "I'm going to give you a minute to collect yourself. Apparently, you've misplaced your ability to reason and logic," she replied

"Don't be snide with me! You are disgusting! And do not even think about picking up my son from school today. I will make other arrangements. I don't want him near you. I will have you arrested if you try to come to his school."

Olivia's heart beat out of her chest hearing Mellie's threat. She was getting heated. "Mellie, you've lost it. Where the hell is my husband? Why are you even answering his phone?"

"I saw your name on his caller ID and suddenly realized that we had a lot to talk about. I just found out my daughter had an abortion, hid it from me, and you and her dumbass father helped facilitate it."

"What? No one facilitated an abortion, Mellie. Get a grip."

"And don't you ever think it's a good idea to go about hiding stuff from me about my children. I would think that as a _mother_, however new, you would understand that."

"No one is hiding anything from you. Karen made a personal choice. If you're angry because your daughter didn't tell you about it, then you need to have this discussion with her."

"She is a child, Olivia. How could you let her make a decision like this?"

"She is 18 years old. She's an _adult_. There was no _letting_ her do anything. She came to this decision by herself."

"And you supported it! You…"

"I supported _her_ with whatever decision she came to. And quite frankly that is none of your damn business. She didn't have to tell you shit. I didn't have to tell you shit. The fact that we're even having this conversation is beyond me. And the fact that you're having such a _ridiculous_ reaction is probably why she didn't bother come to you in the first place. What Karen does with her body is none of your concern. No one needs to announce the fact they terminated a pregnancy so that you could feel in the know. It's not a public service announcement."

"This will haunt her for the rest of her life, and you callously supported her with this impulsive decision."

"'_This will haunt her for the rest of her life_,' do you hear yourself? Do you realize how idiotic you sound? Did I somehow miss when you became Miss. Cleo? Karen made the best decision for her and her future. This was a carefully considered decision. She did not take this lightly. To presume that she made it on a whim, that she didn't evaluate the repercussions is naïve as fuck and dumb as hell. And it honestly shows how little you think of her."

"You and Fitz allowed her to throw her morals by the wayside…"

"You know what? This conversation has gone on for far too long. It sounds like you need to have a real conversation with your _daughter_. I know that's a new concept for you considering your children come to me and their father for everything. But let me be clear, the next time you think it's a good idea to answer my husband's phone, you need to think again," she said and hung up the phone.

Olivia was so angry she could have cried. She stood up and paced the floor of her office. She could not believe the sheer gall of Mellie to answer Fitz's phone and become indignant with her. She needed to talk to her husband and fast, but there was no use in calling him back if Mellie was going to answer the phone. She sat behind her desk and quickly drafted an email to him, letting him know that he had better call her immediately. She was seeing red and someone needed to feel her fury. As she was about to hit the send button, her cell phone rang. She looked at the screen and saw that it was Fitz calling and answered it straightaway.

"WHY THE FUCK IS THAT BITCH ANSWERING YOUR PHONE?" Olivia furiously yelled into the phone.

"Livvie," he said in a calm voice. "I'm so sorry. Karen just filled me in on your very _colorful_ conversation."

"That still doesn't answer my question. Why is she even touching your phone, let alone answering it?"

"I left it in Karen's room. I fell asleep in the waiting room for all of twenty minutes. I just came back in to grab it and call you back. Honey, I don't know what the hell is going on. I'm just as confused as you are."

"She threatened to have me arrested for picking up Teddy."

"What?"

"Yes! So I don't know if I'm supposed to pick him or if I need to stay away or if she has my name off of the list. I don't want to cause a scene by trying to pick him up."

"She's ridiculous."

"She answered your phone and proceeded to scream at me about hiding the abortion from her."

Olivia could hear him chuckle softly in the background. It was his way to keep from yelling.

"Are you fucking _laughing_ right now?!"

"I'm not. I'm not. It's just that this entire situation is getting out of hand."

"Fitz, I have had just about enough of this. I have a thousand other things to do besides argue with your ex-wife about your _adult_ daughter."

"I know, and I'm sorry. That shouldn't have happened."

"You're damn right it shouldn't have happened," she spouted angrily. He knew from her tone of voice that she was headed on a tangent, and there was no stopping her.

"I don't know why she would think it's even remotely appropriate to have that conversation with me. She should be talking to you or Karen. Not me. I bet she hasn't said one word to you about it."

"In all fairness, she stepped out of the room as soon as I stepped inside, but I'm sure I'll hear it too."

"No. You probably won't! Everything is my fault. And I'm a terrible mother and woman because I didn't tell her. That's basically what she said to me. I'm the wicked stepmother. It's easy to hate me. I bet she won't say shit to you."

"I will talk to her. I will make sure this doesn't happen again."

"You better! Because if I get involved any further, feelings will be getting hurt. I will not allow her to talk to me that way."

"No one is going to get hurt…"

"Honestly, Fitz! You attract the bat-shit, craziest women. What the hell? How am I always in the middle of this dumb shit because of you?"

"Because of me? I didn't _do_ anything. I'm sorry she called you, but…" He paused to take a breath and collect himself. "Honey, I don't exactly have the energy to go where this conversation is headed. My daughter has a broken clavicle, and one of her friends is barely making it. There's press outside. The last thing I need right now is a feud between you and Mellie."

"No! This is not a feud. I officially don't like that bitch. She better not ever step foot on our property again."

"I know you're reeling. I know you're upset, but we have other things to worry about. I just need you to..."

"_Fitz_, if the next words out of your mouth are '_calm down_,' or '_relax_' or '_take_ _it down a notch_,' or some other belittling phrase, I will lose it, and you can seriously go kiss my ass."

"I was going to say pick up Teddy," he finished. "Can you please pick up Teddy like we discussed earlier? I will make sure your name is still on the list."

She took a breather and tried to gather herself.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'm sorry, Fitz. I just can't believe she would answer your phone and say some of the things she said. I just needed to unload. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's fine. I get it. I will talk to her. I will make sure nothing like that happens again. I just need us to stay focused, because I swear, Liv, you are the only person keeping me sane."

Finally settling down, "Is Karen okay? That's the whole reason I called in the first place?" she asked.

"She's fine. Other than her broken collarbone, she's okay. We need to get her some help though. But we can discuss that later."

"Why is there press outside?" she asked.

"It's a long story. I'll fill you in on it later," he replied.

"When will she be released? When will you be home?" she questioned.

"Her surgery is slated for tomorrow to put the bone back into place. She will be released shortly after that. So maybe two days or so."

"Two days? You're going to be gone for another two days?"

"It's what it looks like."

"I hate this! I want you here," she said. She hated how needy she sounded and how selfish she seemed, but she really needed her husband.

"I want to be there, too. But I have to be here."

"I know. It's just…" she said before sighing. "Just keep me updated please. I'll call you when I pick up Teddy."

"Okay."

He felt so torn not being there with her, Charlotte and Teddy and being in Connecticut. He knew how exhausting it was to have both of the younger kids while being busy at work. When you added the stress of the situation with Karen, he knew it was a lot to take. "Hey," he said, getting her attention before they hung up.

"What?"

"I love you, and when I get home, I'm going to finish beating you at Jenga. And we'll look at that house. We can to look at hardwood floors, and…"

"You just know all the right things to say."

"I knew hardwood floors would get you going," he said in a playful, seductive voice.

"You're a mess, but I love you, and I can't wait til you're home. Call me later."

"I will. Talk to you soon, honey."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I promise you I will lighten up in the chapters ahead. I promise. A few new developments. Karen gets into a serious car accident. The driver is prominent guy. Mellie knows about the abortion and has a not so good reaction. Thoughts on her phone call with Olivia? Thoughts on the subsequent phone call with Fitz? The point of this chapter is to show how Karen's choices are having a ripple effect on her entire family. I think this is true to form with most families, regardless of the types of decisions made. One family member can do something, whether it's good or bad or controversial or not controversial, and the entire can be family impacted. Hopefully that theme comes through. Let me know what you think and what you liked or disliked. I'm done with this semester! Whoop Whoop! So hopefully, I can have the next chapter up ASAP. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! <strong>

Updated Author's note based off a very insightful, anonymous review: In no way, am I making a judgement or trying to lessen Karen's character by having her have an abortion and then suffer dramatic consequences. More than anything, this story is and will be about how Olitz's marriage is affected by outside influences. And again, Karen's excessive drinking is the result of her going through a lot emotionally after her break up with Zach, which is compounded by the fact that she had an abortion. I really want to clarify again that the emotional repercussions for Karen are not about the fact that she terminated her pregnancy per se. It's more about the fact that she found herself in this type of situation to start with. This story will have more turns and if you stick with me, I think you will see that Karen and her family will grow in tremendous ways.


	9. Chapter 9

Fitz walked into a quiet home with his hands completely full of bags, luggage, and a dozen red roses. It was late in the evening, and he was expecting to hear the sounds of his daughter playing with her mother. There was nothing like returning home from a trip, when you could actually notice what you're home smelled like to others, when the sense of calm settled in from just walking through the front door. After a successful collarbone surgery, several intense conversations, and an underage drinking citation, Karen was back in D.C. Fitz was relieved that his daughter was in a 5-mile radius from him.

Eager to see his wife with flowers in hand, "Liv," he called out to her, but got no response in return. He dropped a few bags off in the kitchen before heading up the stairs.

"Livvie," he called out once more as he headed into Charlotte's nursery with his luggage still in tow.

"In here," he heard faintly from his bedroom. He turned around and entered his bedroom, hastily dropping his bags on the floor. He moved towards the sound of water splashing and found Olivia and Charlotte in the master bathroom. Charlotte was all smiles as she reclined in her baby bath spa.

"Hey, you," Olivia greeted cheerfully, glancing over her shoulders at him. She completely missed the flowers in his hands and continued to wash Charlotte. He quickly approached her and kneeled beside her. Turning to face him slightly, she couldn't miss the long-stem roses in his hand at second glance.

"Hi," he responded tiredly. He leaned in to give her a sweet peck on the lips and handed her the flowers with her free hand.

She inhaled their scent and smiled widely before handing them back to him so that she could finish bathing their daughter. "Honey, these are beautiful. What are they for?" she excitedly asked.

Shrugging, "Nothing in particular. They're Just Because flowers."

"_Oh_. I like Just Because flowers. It's very sweet, babe," she said as she sponged her squealing infant. "How was your trip back? Where's Karen? Is she here?" she asked, removing one hand from the tub to tenderly stroke his hair.

"It was okay," he said with a sigh, moving to place the flowers on a nearby vanity. "Mellie's not working tomorrow, so she's staying with her. She'll be here the rest of the week."

"Any developments with that Britton guy? How's the press situation?"

"Honestly, we did a very good job of ignoring everything except for Karen and her health. We were most concerned about the surgery."

"What about you and Mellie? Did you talk? Is she on board with a therapist? Is that something she thinks Karen needs?"

"I don't know. She's still really pissed about the abortion."

"Well she can find herself getting the fu—fudge sickle over it," she said as she eyed her daughter.

Charlotte flailed her arms in the water. She loved baths and both her parents were grateful for it. But now she was beginning to play in the water, which made them even better. Her excitement was wonderful to see. She babbled softly as her parents conversed.

Olivia could tell that her husband was exhausted by the situation, so she changed the subject. "Anyway," she continued. "I'm glad you're home," she said leaning in to kiss him again. "We're both very glad you're home. Isn't that right, Char? You're happy to see daddy, too," she said as she lifted her out of the tub. Fitz grabbed Charlotte's hooded towel from a towel rack and opened it up so that Olivia could pass her over to him. They had her bath routine down to a science. On the nights they were together, when Charlotte required a bath, Olivia bathed her with him close by, and he toweled her off and dressed her before Olivia nursed her and put her to bed.

Fitz wrapped Charlotte up tightly, helped Olivia up and carried Charlotte to their bed where her fleece footie pajamas waited for her. He placed her on her back and gently tickled her chest and stomach as he put a diaper on her. She giggled incessantly, kicking her tiny legs in the air. She clutched her towel as her father played with her. This was the best Fitz felt in days, amusing his daughter and getting her ready for bed. When he knew she couldn't take any more tickles, he rubbed calming lotion on her small frame before dressing her in the Carolina blue nightwear Olivia set out for her. He was so much in his own world with her he didn't even notice Olivia unpacking his bags for him.

When Charlotte was snugly dressed, he sat on the edge of the bed and cradled her close.

"I missed you so much, butterball," he said after kissing her nose. "Please just promise me you'll never break my heart, Charlotte Rose. Please," he whispered.

Olivia smiled listening to him to talk to her. He was so sincere, and Charlotte had no clue what he was requesting, but she looked up at him attentively. Olivia knew inevitably their precious baby girl would someday break their hearts, but for now, she was basking in the simple fact that all Charlotte was capable of doing was bringing them enormous amounts of joy.

* * *

><p>Once Charlotte was put to bed, Fitz and Olivia found themselves sitting closely beside each other on their living room couch catching up on the news. Her legs were in his lap and her head on his shoulder, their fingers intertwined as they listened to a pundit angrily discuss immigration reform. Fitz was listening intently, but Olivia was growing bored. She eased herself further into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She gazed at him, taking in his every feature. He looked completely worn out, which was to be expected considering the last few weeks had been stressful and busy for both of them.<p>

She kissed the side of his neck as he watched the news program. What started out as brief, delicate kisses turned into heavy sucking and light nipping at the skin of his neck. He closed his eyes, feeling relief in her lips on his skin. He didn't care what her lips were doing as long as he could feel them.

With his eyes firmly shut, he pulled her into his lap completely. She halted her kisses and waited for him to open his eyes, and when they finally fluttered open, he looked exactly like Charlotte waking up in the morning. She giggled softly and kissed his nose.

"Hi," she whispered, grazing her finger tips along his jaw line.

"Babe," he responded giving her a once over. Her hair was straightened and pinned half up and her face devoid of make-up. He gripped her sides, tugging on her loose fitting cardigan. She took that as a sign to take it off, leaving her bra-less in a camisole.

He shook his head in complete disbelief at her effortless beauty.

"You're gorgeous," he said sincerely.

"You're handsome," she replied with a smile.

He pulled down the straps of camisole until he could see the top of her breasts.

"Charlotte does the body good," he said of her newly buxom chest. "I just can't wait until you're done nursing so I can have my way with them again," he said as he gently rubbed her breasts.

She shook her head and then leaned in to give him an Eskimo kiss before pulling her top up, resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and let out a deep yawn.

"You ready for bed?" she questioned with her face tucked against his neck.

Instead of a verbal reply, he stood up with her clinging to him firmly and moved towards their staircase.

"Wait! She protested. Water. We need water," she said shimmying out of his grasp. He set her down to let her grab two glasses of water. She expected him to head back upstairs, but when she walked towards the kitchen, his eyes never left her body. He followed her so that he wouldn't lose the sight. From the opposite side of the kitchen, he watched her hips sway in what he assumed were a new gray pair of yoga pants.

_Why does her ass look so good? _

He was exhausted, but the bulge in his trousers said otherwise. He watched her reached for glasses in the cupboard. When she grabbed them, placed them on the counter and turned around, she was surprised to find him staring at her.

"Creeper," she teased, as she moved towards him to pull out a pitcher of water from the fridge. Before she could even make it to the refrigerator door, Fitz grabbed her by the waist and roughly pinned her against the door of their pantry.

"Are you trying to have your way with me, mister? All you have to do is ask," she said coyly with a twinkle in her eye.

Removing any space between them, he roughly palmed her ass and tucked his head in her neck.

"Can I have my way with you?" he asked, kissing the column of her neck.

Nodding her head vigorously, she moaned at the sensation of his lips in response.

He pulled away from her neck only to stare at her longingly. His yearning for her knew no bounds. He pushed her back against the pantry door and hastily tugged her yoga pants and seamless underwear until they were down to her ankles. Just as quickly, he kneeled in front of her, peering up at her while he stroked the inside of her thighs and placing kisses on her center. He gazed at her as he kissed her core, watching her struggle to keep her eyelids open. He reached and pushed her camisole down, freeing her breasts without taking off her top completely.

She cupped her breasts as he continued to pepper tongue-filled kisses on her core. She would never understand how this always felt so good, how it never got old. She felt the same intense pleasure from his tongue now as she did the first time on her newly purchased mattress in her newly purchased townhome.

Pushing her legs further apart, he lapped her folds aggressively with his tongue. Her breathing shortened. She was willing herself to stay upright as she gently cradled his head to keep it place and give herself balance.

"F-F—Fii…baby," she called out to him. He would not relent, tasting every inch of her center until she was ready to crumble. Her intense, rasping moans resonated throughout the kitchen as she continuously thrust forward.

"Shit…oh god…y-yes," she cried, throwing her head back against the door. He pulled away when she was mere moments away from finding release. "Please don't," she begged as he moved away from her. She was taken aback when suddenly he yanked her towards their kitchen island. Before she could even think twice, his lips were sucking on hers with his hands firmly gripping her bare bottom. She quickly worked to unzip and unbutton his pants, pulling them down with his briefs until they hit the floor. Neither cared that their clothes were barely off. They felt no need to fully undress.

Knowing exactly how she needed to feel him, she bit his bottom lip before turning her back towards him. She turned head her head to see his focused face the moment he entered her.

"Uh…Oh…god," she whined as he slid inside of her. While he gripped her waist, she clung to countertop as he hammered into her so hard her heels left the ground.

"You're so perfect, Beautiful. You feel so good," he said, leaning into her frame. He kissed up her back over her camisole until he reached her neck.

"I…you...I" she tried to respond, but he consistently left her too breathless for words. Instead of trying to find the proper terms, she led his hand to her center to help her find release. Grunting and groaning, he pushed into her while stroking her until they both reached their peak. Collapsing into the island countertop, they basked in each other's sweaty, sticky bodies, reluctant to let one another go until their heart rates normalized.

Turning to face him, "Now are you ready for bed?" she asked, pulling at his shirt.

"I'm going to sleep like a baby. Just like Charlotte tonight," he replied.

"Oh yeah? Does that mean you're going to wake me up in the middle of the night searching for a boob to suck?" she teased.

"Hey! She's gotten a lot better," he replied. "But I might actually wake you up looking for a boob to, at the very least, hold," he joked as pulled up the straps of camisole, helping her adjust in her shirt.

"Funny guy," she responded before pecking his lips.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Fitz woke up to an empty bed and a surprisingly quiet bedroom. He was disappointed not to hear Charlotte's jabbers fill the room. He quickly hopped out of bed and threw on a pair of pajama bottoms to cover his naked form. He headed to Charlotte's nursery, but was surprised when his girls weren't there. He headed to the kitchen where unexpectedly found an older woman sitting at his kitchen table with a mug of coffee reading out of a huge three ring binder. He did a double take to make sure he was seeing clearly.<p>

Confused and shirtless, he greeted her from a distance. "Uh..hello," he said eyeing her up and down.

"Oh…Hi!" she replied gleefully. "You must be Mr. Grant. I'm Shirley," she replied.

"Shirley?" he repeated. He knew it should have been ringing a bell, but it was 6:30 in the morning and he wasn't firing on all cylinders.

"Yeah…Shirley," he heard from behind him.

He turned around and found his wife fully dressed for work with their daughter in her arms.

"Our new nanny," Olivia clarified for him.

"Right! Shirley, it's nice to meet you, and you can just call me Fitz."

He took Charlotte out of Olivia's hands and snuggled her to his chest.

"Morning, butterball," he said before kissing her forehead. "Are you going to be good for Miss Shirley?" he said to her.

"She has been a delight the past three days. Just a joy," Shirley said.

"Well that's good to hear because she's been very fussy all morning," Olivia replied. "Actually, this is the first time she hasn't whined or whimpered since she's been up."

"It's because I have the daddy touch," Fitz added.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Well I'm going to have to steal daddy away for a moment," Olivia replied as she took Charlotte from him and passed her to Shirley.

"Shirley, please make yourself comfortable. Just excuse us for a moment," she said as she pulled her husband to his office.

When they were in the privacy of his office, she gave him a proper greeting.

"Good morning, handsome," she said as planted a tender kiss on his lips.

"Morning, honey. Thanks for that save in there. I completely forgot the nanny started this week. I feel awful."

"Don't. You've got a lot going on with your older daughter."

He groaned in response. "What the hell is in that big binder she's reading?"

"It's the Nanny Guidebook."

"The nanny guide book?" he asked utterly confused. "What is that?"

"It's full of all our contact information and copies of important documents for Charlotte and rules…"

"Rules? What rules could a six-month-old possibly need?"

"Silly, not for Charlotte. For Shirley. They're just guidelines for stuff I want her to do and stuff that I don't."

"Like?"

"Trimming her nails, I'd prefer if she didn't do that. And styling her hair, swaddling her..."

"Trimming her nails? Liv, what if they need to be trimmed. We can't let her cut herself."

"She won't because I keep up with it."

"Livvie, we're not going to be _those_ parents."

"What parents? Parents who care about their children?" she said defensively.

"No. Parents who act like they're the first people to have a child. Honey, you hired and vetted her for a reason. I'm sure she's capable of understanding what not to do without that thick notebook."

Shrugging, "I don't care. She's using it and will abide by it," she said seriously.

"When did you have the time to make that thing?"

"I did it over two weeks at work."

"Wow! Liv, she's not a babysitter. She's a nanny. A professional. You have to trust that she knows what she's doing. Otherwise, why the hell did you hire her?"

"Listen, we don't have time for this discussion. She's using the damn notebook, and that's just the end of it," she said in a huff.

"No! It's too early in the morning for you to be this dismissive. I understand that you have concerns, but you're not going to be ridiculous about this. We love Charlotte, but you have to recognize that she's obviously not the first infant in the world."

"You done?" she asked bitingly. "Because we have other things to talk about like how we're going to handle Karen. She's staying with us for the rest of the week. And as much as I hate it, we need to reach out to Mellie so that we're all on the same page."

"I'll handle Karen. I'll talk to Mellie," he responded sternly. "Is that all that you wanted to talk about?"

"No. We're scheduled to visit that house in Georgetown, and I want to make sure still you're on board."

"Yep," he responded disinterestedly, turning to leave his office.

"Fitz," she called to him, stopping him in his tracks. "Can we not do this? We had such a great night last night. Let's just try this again. We need a do-over" she said as he moved back toward her.

When he was close enough, she pulled him to stand in front of her. With her arms around his neck, she said, "I'll start. Good morning, Mr. Grant. I love you very much. I really want the new nanny to use the Nanny Guidebook. However, I understand you have a few concerns, which I'd like to discuss at a different time so that we're both not late for work. We have a house visit at noon, and we need to figure out the best way to get Karen some help if that's what she needs. Preferably with Mellie's inclusion."

"Good morning, Mrs. Grant. I love you, too, very much. Yes, we need to talk about the absurdity of the Nanny Guidebook, but we can, in fact, table it for now. I'm set for the home visit. And we can indeed work together to figure out how to handle Karen. Better?"

"So much better," she replied giving him another kiss.

* * *

><p>"Oh, Fitz, don't you just love this space," Olivia gushed as they walked hand-in-hand, viewing an upstairs bedroom with vaulted ceilings. He was trying to drum up as much enthusiasm as she had, but he was coming up short. Visiting a home was the last thing he wanted to do, but since he agreed to it knowing it would make his wife happy, he was attempting to make the best of it. His disinterest did not go unnoticed by Olivia, but she was choosing to ignore it. She understood that he wasn't too thrilled about the idea right now, but she was confident that he would see it her way soon. The Realtor gave them the keys and let them explore the home by themselves, which they both appreciated. So far, he could honestly say he was impressed with everything they'd seen so far, but he muted his fervor.<p>

"I do," he responded coldly.

"This would be such a great playroom," she said as she observed the décor. The house was fully dressed despite the fact that no one currently lived there. The room they were currently viewing was fashioned as a spare bedroom. But Olivia had an eye for decoration, and she knew that she could easily maximize the space and repurpose it into a playroom for their children.

She sat him down on the bed and straddled him on his lap.

She frowned and tugged on his tie. "Really, babe? Because it doesn't sound like you do," she said.

"I like it just fine. Seriously," he replied.

"Close your eyes," she tenderly requested. Hesitating for a moment, he shut his eyes while holding on to her hips.

"Just think. We'll hear Teddy and Charlotte and Noah James arguing over building blocks or Legos. Noah and Teddy won't be too keen on sharing their toys with Charlotte because she's a girl, and they're boys, and they will want to build their buildings so they can knock them over with their toy cars. But Charlotte will want to keep them upright so that her dolls have jobs to go to. And when they don't share their blocks or when they force the buildings they created to topple over, Charlotte will come running down the stairs in a fury. You'll be in your office, and she'll strut in, and she'll say in a panic, '_Daddy, the boys won't play right. They keep breaking Dr. Kate and Judge Amber's office buildings. How are they supposed to work if the boys keep tearing them down?_' And you'll scoop her up in your arms and kiss the top of her head. And you'll say, '_Charlotte Rose, you better show them who's boss. You just go back up there, and you make a bigger, better office building for your dolls. And if they knock it down again, well, you better keep on building because you know what beats tattletaling?_' And she'll think about it for a minute, with furrowed brows just like yours when you're concentrating, but she'll come up short, so she'll ask, '_What, daddy?_' And you'll respond, '_Persistence_.' And of course, she'll have no idea what the hell that means, so she'll scrunch her face and throw her hands in the air and say, '_Persistence_? _What's persistence?_' And you'll counter, '_It's when you never let anyone stop you from building what you want to build or achieving what you want to achieve. You have to have persistence, butterball._' And then, she'll repeat, '_Persistence_,' once more and let the idea settle in her brain, and then she'll hop out of her your arms, but not before giving you a kiss, and she'll run upstairs, and she'll keep building those blocks even when Noah James and Teddy try to stop her. It will be one of the many lessons you teach her in this house. Now, open your eyes."

He slowly opened his eyes and grinned at his beautiful wife. He wasn't surprised that she found a way to get him excited about the house. Now the idea of expanding their family in a bigger house made his heart swell.

"What if Teddy is too old to build blocks or Legos with Noah James," he asked.

"He won't be. Definitely won't be" she said assuredly.

He raised an eyebrow and gave her a smile. "Are you…" he asked nervously.

She gasped realizing what her words implied for him. The look on his face was one of utter nervous excitement. She hated that she was going to deflate that. "Oh! I'm not…I was just...," she said moving her hands to cup his quickly turned disappointed face.

"Damn. You got me excited, woman."

"I'm sorry," she said as she began placing kisses on his forehead, cheeks, nose and lips. "But I'd certainly be willing to start trying for another…"

"Don't say it if you don't mean it," he said seriously.

"I do! Now that Charlotte is almost seven months. And we always talked about having kids close in age like Jerry and Karen. And I know things are crazy right now, but they'll slow down. And if they don't, we can handle it and…"

"Hey, you don't have to convince me. You know what I want."

"I know. I guess I'm just trying to convince myself," she replied with a chuckle. "I really want another baby with you," she said earnestly. She wasn't sure why saying the words choked her up, but she was emotional as she let the words leave her mouth. "Being a mom is better than what I could have ever imagined. And I would give up so much to do it again with you."

"You don't have to give up anything, so let's just start trying," he said with a smile.

She nodded in agreement. "But I have to ask, do you really like this home or do you…"

"Let's make an offer," he said decisively.

She squealed with excitement and kissed him again. She knew he would love this home just as much as she did. She removed herself from his lap, took his hand and showed him the rest of the house. This felt like a great, necessary next step for them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm just really hitting a stride with these chapters, but I'm really sorry for the people who get email notifications of story updates. In any case, this chapter is pretty inconsequential, but I wanted to tone down the heavy. However, the Karen situation will continue to unfold. It looks like they're going to buy the house. It may or may not be as easy as it seems. Really, I just wanted to give snap shots of their life so that includes a little tiff about the Nanny guidebook and giving Charlotte a bath. That being said, your responses to this story has been so great and interesting to read. I really appreciate the criticisms just as much as the praise because it challenges me to think about my writing more. Generally, I just write on the fly and post it when I'm done. Anyway, Let me know what you think! :)<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

Karen sat in the kitchen and watched Olivia feed her sister in her highchair. Charlotte was incredibly excited to be indulging in freshly blended sweet potatoes. Karen could only laugh at how widely she opened her toothless mouth when Olivia held a spoon up to her lips. Olivia was trying to use their time together to get a better feel for Karen's headspace. She arrived home from work earlier than usual, so she relieved Shirley so that she could spend time alone with Karen and Charlotte.

"How you feeling?" Olivia asked Karen as she finished up Charlotte's meal.

"A lot better actually. Everything hurts less," she replied.

"Good. I'm glad you're here," Olivia said as she cleaned up Charlotte's messy face and removed her dirty bib. She noticed Karen staring down at her phone while they talked. It should have annoyed her that she was constantly on her phone when they conversed, but she had grown accustomed to it. "And I'm really glad to hear that Melissa is pulling through."

"Oh me too," Karen said distractedly as she rapidly sent texts. Olivia took a seat in front of Karen at their informal kitchen table with Charlotte in her lap.

"I know these last few weeks have been tough. Are you sure you're okay? It's okay if you're struggling with all of it."

"No. I'm fine," she said confidently. "Guess what," Karen said excitedly. It was the first time she genuinely saw her excited since she arrived back in town.

"What?" Olivia asked.

"Zach texted me," she said with a smile.

"Oh? What did he say?"

"He heard I was in an accident, and he said he just wanted to see if I was okay," she relayed giddily.

"What did you say?"

"I told him I was fine and that it wasn't a big deal. I asked him how he was doing, but he hasn't responded yet. He's probably in class or working, so I'll probably hear from him later."

"When was this?"

"Last night."

Olivia didn't know what to say. She was very doubtful that Zach would text her back. And she knew Karen would be crushed if he didn't.

"I think he's actually coming into town today," Karen said cheerfully.

"Oh okay," Olivia replied.

"But Riley is definitely in town, and she's going to come over. We're probably going to go to dinner and then back to Rebecca's house. She's having some people over."

"Are sure you're okay to go out? I know you can't drive right now because of your sling."

"Yeah. I'm totally fine. I need to get out of the house. It will be nice to see my high school friends. We're never back home at the same time."

Olivia sighed, hating the idea of her going out. She didn't want to be preachy or harping. Karen was an adult, so she couldn't stop her.

"Will there be alcohol there?" She hated that she had ask, but she needed to know.

Karen huffed. "I don't know. Probably."

"Karen I don't know if…"

Karen paused her with her hand. "I'm not going to drink. I will be fine."

"You're not going to drink?" Olivia questioned.

"No! I'm not," she said defensively.

"Will you promise me you won't drink? I hate even asking you that, but I will be a wreck if you're out drinking when you're on pain meds. It's just not safe. Please just promise me."

"Liv, I promise. I'm not drinking," she said distractedly as she looked at her phone with a bemused expression. She looked wholly annoyed and scoffed as she looked at the screen.

"What?" Olivia asked.

"This private number keeps calling my phone," she said an irritated tone. "It's the third time today."

"Have they left a message?" she asked.

"No. It's weird though. Anyway, I should probably start getting ready. Riley will be here soon," Karen replied as she got up and left the room.

* * *

><p>"I have to say, I'm growing more concerned every day. She's detached, and she's really moody. She will barely even talk to me," Fitz said to Mellie.<p>

Shortly after arriving home from work, he headed to his home office so that he and Mellie could have a serious talk about Karen. They talked briefly at the hospital about the abortion, but it was completely unproductive because Mellie was so angry. He conferenced with Mellie quite often when it came to the kids, especially since Teddy was still in grade school. They worked hard to try to have an amicable relationship for their children. It wasn't always easy since they disagreed on a lot, but they did their best to keep together for their kids.

"Now you know I how I've felt for the past three years," Mellie mumbled.

"I just want to do what's best for her, and I honestly don't know how we go about doing it."

"I don't want to minimize what's going on, but Fitz, I think she'll be fine. She's going through a break-up. A lot has happened. I think she just needs space. She doesn't need a therapist. If she comes to us, and she wants one, then fine. But I don't think we need to put so much on her. We don't need to stage some intervention. She's a teenager going through a break-up. It's not the end of the world."

"Mellie, she's missed already missed close to two weeks of school. She's drinking excessively."

"She drank one time excessively," Mellie corrected.

"She's apparently having casual, unprotected sex. She terminated a pregnancy. I just don't see how you're not seeing this."

"And I'm truly disgusted by that," she said bitterly. "And I do see it, but until Karen comes to us and says she wants help, we can't force it. Fitz, I know you want to protect her. You've always been more protective over her than the boys. But you have to understand that kids make mistakes."

"This feels like more than a few mistakes."

"I just think you have to accept that our children aren't perfect. I accepted it a long time ago."

"No. You give them free passes, so they won't hate you."

"I do not. You're worrying too much about this. What does your wife have to say about all of this? Is she the one that has you so frantic about all of this?"

"What my wife thinks about this is really none of your concern."

"It is when it's about my children. It is when I'm sure she's advising you on how to handle them."

"Liv, thinks I, we, should do the best thing for Karen. She doesn't have the answers, and she doesn't pretend to. She has Karen like all of our children's, best interest at heart."

"I'm sure she does," she said icily.

"Mellie, stop. You are being petty."

"I just really don't appreciate the way she spoke to me. I am the mother of your children, Fitz."

"_I_ don't really appreciate the way you spoke to _her_. She is _also_ the mother of my child. My _wife_. And the stepmother to our children. At this point, we're a package deal. You have to understand that. I'm sure on a different occasion she would have been less _animated_ in her discussion with you. But you ambushed her and threatened to have her arrested."

"I was angry. Give me a break."

"I am giving you a break. But please don't test me when it comes to her. So was also angry, but we need to move past it so that we can work together for Karen's sake."

Scoffing, "Again, Fitz. Karen is fine. Let's just let it be. It's not some national crisis," she replied.

"I just don't want her to think that she can get away with acting completely reckless. This could spiral into something crazy because we decide to be lax parents."

"Think about all that has happened within the last few weeks. She is being held accountable. And at this point, it's not who _we_ decide to be. It's who _she_ decides to be."

"Maybe you're right," he said thinking of all the mishaps and consequences that Karen had been dealt. Many people made the same or similar mistakes and choices she made without facing near as many consequences.

"I know I'm right. You just need to try to relax when it comes to her."

"Easier said than done."

"Don't I know it. Every time I think about that abortion, I have to tell myself she's not a little girl anymore."

"Well, I guess I'll see you when I pick up Teddy."

"Alright. See you soon," she said and hung up the phone.

* * *

><p>Lounging in his living room, Fitz played with Charlotte on her large play mat. He watched her rock back and forth on her hands and knees trying to make a move. She could successfully scoot herself on her stomach and bottom. She was getting closer every day to actually crawling. It amused him to see her try, so he put a toy in front of her and watched her try to move. He was fascinated by her every movement however slight. As he played with his daughter, he could hear Olivia talking on the phone. From the sounds of it, she was talking business. She joined them in the living room at the end of her conversation.<p>

"Yes. That sounds great. Okay. I'll talk to you soon. Bye," Olivia said as she hung up the phone, placed it on the coffee table, and joined her husband and child on the floor.

"You won't believe what that was," she said to him.

"What was is it? Who was it?"

"Lauren…"

"My Lauren? It's kind of late for her to be calling," he said as checked his watch.

"Yeah. We had a long day of phone tag, so I told her to just call me this evening. Anyway, she was calling to let me know that I won Small Business Owner of the Year," she said excitedly.

"Honey, that's great!"

"I know. And there's a banquet in a few weeks where they give out the award, and there's write up in Entrepreneurs Monthly."

He pulled her close to him and gave her a congratulatory kiss. "That is amazing. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you! But I didn't submit for this award. And I asked her if she did it as a part of my PR and Ad campaign, and she said no."

He nodded his head, but didn't respond.

"Maybe Quinn or Abby did it," she contemplated aloud.

"Maybe," he replied.

She looked at him and thought it over more. From his tone of voice, she suspected he was involved.

"Wait. Did you do this?" she asked with a smile.

He gave her a coy look, but didn't respond.

"Did you?" she asked again.

"Will you be angry if I say yes?"

"Fitz!" she exclaimed, completely shocked by his actions. "Honey, you didn't have to do that," she said wrapping her arms around him and moving into his lap.

"I know. But I wanted to."

"Thank you," she said in disbelief.

"You don't have to thank me."

"I do. It's really sweet. She told me that the submission process is a real pain."

"It wasn't so bad. I just wanted you to be recognized. Your growth has been incredible. You're such a great boss. Everyone adores you. And because of your smart, decisive choices, you've been in the green for almost five years, which is almost unheard of for a small restaurant in this area. You deserve it, Liv. It's the least I could do."

She wasn't sure why she was so shocked that he would do that for her, but she was taken by complete surprise. He was always supportive of her and her business even before they were in a relationship. It felt good to be in love with a man who loved her career and ambitions. He was truly her number one fan.

She cupped his face in her hands and gave him a long, deep kiss. "You're incredible," she said when she pulled away. With a smile on his face, he looked out of the corner of his eye and spotted Charlotte properly crawling forward.

"Look!" he said as he gave Charlotte his full attention.

She turned her head and gasped at the sight in front of her. On her hands and knees, Charlotte moved less than an inch forward and collapsed on her stomach. She shakily positioned herself back on her hands and knees and moved another half an inch forward before falling on her stomach again.

"Oh my god," Olivia said softly covering her mouth with her hands. She grabbed her phone on its place on the coffee table and passed it to Fitz. He opened her camera app and began his position as family videographer, capturing Charlotte's first crawl. "Honey, look at her," Olivia said eagerly.

He captured Charlotte moving in the same pattern until she stopped at a bright toy in front of her.

"Isn't it too early?" she asked in disbelief.

"Not really. She'll be 7 months in a few days. Teddy and Jerry started crawling around 8 or 9 months. But Karen started at 7 months."

"Oh my god," Olivia said again as she moved to pick up Charlotte.

"Butterball, you're on the move," she said as she kissed every inch of her face. She rocked her for a moment before lifting her over head and bringing her back down.

"You're the smartest baby!" she said as she kissed her nose. "She's the smartest baby!" she said to Fitz.

Fitz finally put the phone down, and Olivia passed Charlotte to him. He proceeded to kiss her cheeks and tickle her, eliciting high-pitched giggles. The excitement was so much to take for Charlotte she spit up as her father made her laugh.

Fitz cleaned her face up with a nearby towel and soothed her. "Let's get her changed for bed," he suggested, kissing her forehead as her breathing settled. "We're just too much for her," Olivia joked. As they attempted to get up from the floor, they heard Karen hurry down the stairs. She stopped in the living room before she departed.

"Riley's here, so we're just going to head out," Karen said quickly.

"Oh?" Fitz questioned looking to Olivia.

"Yeah. We're going to dinner then to a small get together. I'll be back later," she said as she headed out the door.

"Wait. Are you feeling okay to hang out? How long are you going to be out? Should we wait up?" he asked in a panic.

"I don't know when I'll be back. It's just a few girls from high school. Everyone's back in town. Like I told Liv, it's not a big deal. I feel fine," she said confidently. "Okay? Riley's waiting. Gotta go. Bye." She said in a hurry as she rushed out of the door.

"What was that?" he asked Olivia. "Why is she going out?"

"She mentioned it a few hours ago. I'm not too thrilled about it either, but what can we do?"

"Tell her not to go," he said with a sigh knowing that it wouldn't have done any good.

"She's 18. She said she wouldn't drink."

"She's going to give me heart attack," he said rubbing his temple.

Shrugging, "What can we do?" she said again.

"Get this little crawler to bed and try to relax," he suggested.

Nodding in agreement, "I think I can help with both of those," she said as she stood and offered him a hand to help him and Charlotte up.

* * *

><p>True to her word, after getting Charlotte soundly to sleep, Olivia straddled Fitz with his back facing her, attempting to give him a full body massage. She was digging her elbows in his back in a way that didn't feel particularly good or relaxing.<p>

"Ow," he exclaimed as she pushed hard into the muscles in his back.

"Sorry."

"It's okay. I think we've found the one thing you're not good at," he said jokingly after enduring ten minutes of her massage.

"I am good at it. My massages are world class, mister," she said trying to get a kink out of his neck.

"Says who?"

"Says everyone."

He turned his head so that she could see him raising an eyebrow.

"Says Charlotte," she clarified. "She loves my massages. She just coos and giggles and falls right asleep."

"Let me show you how it's done," he said, moving to switch positions with her.

"Fitz," she tried to protest.

"No. Take this off," he said pulling on her silk top. She removed her top, leaving her completely bare from the waist up, and threw it at him.

"Now, lay down," he said seriously.

"My massages are perfect," she insisted before laying flat on her stomach.

Fitz straddled her, leaned close to her, and began rubbing deep circles in her back.

She sighed and moan at the sensation.

"How does this feel?" he asked as he moved his hands up to her neck.

"Really good," she admitted with a moan.

"And this?" he asked adding his elbows.

"Oooh. So much better."

He leaned down so that he was close to ear and whispered, "I love you. I love you more than you could possibly understand, Small Business Owner of the Year," ending in a small chuckle.

Giggling, "I-I...love…I love you too," she said having to concentrate on the words. His hands were making her delirious. As his hands got lost on her body, she got lost in her thoughts.

"I can't believe our baby is crawling. Fitz, she's…she's just amazing," she said quietly.

"She's pretty spectacular," he agreed.

"Shirley's going to have her hands full with a crawling baby," she noted.

"Shirley has the Nanny Guidebook, so I'm sure she'll figure it out," he said sarcastically as he moved his hands to her lower back. "Do you have a sub section on crawling? She should probably know where Charlotte's allowed to crawl," he added jokingly.

"Fitz," she scolded, turning slightly to face him.

"What? I was kidding."

"No you weren't."

"I was. A little."

She shifted so that she could move out of his grasp and turned so that she could sit up and face him. She moved under the comforter to cover up her naked upper half and scooted away from him in the bed.

"Do you really hate the Nanny Guidebook that much? Is it that ridiculous?" she asked seriously.

"Liv, I was just teasing."

"But you said it was ridiculous and absurd earlier."

The look of concern and insecurity on her face made him feel horrible.

"Honey, it's just a really thick notebook. And I don't know what's in there, but I don't want Shirley to feel micromanaged. That's all."

"She's our child! I just want consistency. I want it to feel like we're here with her."

"I definitely understand that. But you didn't use a Nanny Guidebook with your mother, and she was completely fine."

"She's my mom! I trust her in a completely different way. And I'm not trying to micromanage her. I just want her to have some guidelines to help her. Maybe she won't need them or want them, but it's for her benefit. I _know_ what Charlotte needs. I _know_ what she wants. She likes belly holds right after you feed and burp her. She likes her hair stroked when you give her a bottle. If she starts to snore, then she needs the humidifier. These are things you can only know if you've been around her as much as we have. I just want Charlotte and Shirley to be comfortable together," she explained.

He nodded his head in agreement now completely understanding her point of view. It wasn't lost on him, however, that they could have come to that same understanding had she not try to shut the conversation down earlier that morning.

"I just wish…" he started. "I just wish you would tell me these things. Keep me in the know, talk to me and not expect me to read your mind about your decisions with Charlotte. Even with hiring a nanny. You didn't think you needed to discuss it with me before you chose her."

"That's only because you weren't here for the interview," she said defensively. "And we did talk about it."

"Only after I insisted," he said firmly. "I can assure you this is not my first…"

She rolled her eyes and moved even further away from him on the bed knowing exactly where he was going with his statement because he said it all the time in reference to his parenting. She threw a hand up to pause him.

"I feel like we had this conversation when I was pregnant," she said in utter annoyance. "But it honestly seems like you don't consider how I might feel because of your experience with Teddy and Karen and Jerry. But Charlotte's not them. And she has different needs, and sometimes we're going to do things differently with her than you did with them. And not because I think they were parented wrong. It's just she's a different baby, and I'm a different mom," she said firmly.

Needing to break any building tension between them, he scooted himself against the backboard and patted his thighs, wordlessly asking her to move closer to him. She didn't budge. She stared at him and continued.

"I can't help that I worry about her. I don't have any other children to use as a point of reference. I just want her to be safe and happy when I'm not here. That's all I want for her," she said explained tearfully.

"I understand. And I'm sorry if I made you feel like your concerns are unwarranted because that has never been my intention. And I can't help it if I use my kids as a measuring stick. But I won't do that if it makes you…"

"No. That's not what I'm saying. It's fine that you use your kids for comparison. It's just I don't have that. And I want you to be more patient with me and understand there are times when I will want to do things differently. And not because your way is wrong. It will just give me peace of mind like using the Nanny Guidebook."

"Okay," he said as he got under the comforter and moved toward her. He pulled her so that they were facing each other on their sides.

"I love you so much, Livvie. So much. Parenting with you has been a dream. It's what I've always wanted because we're a team," he said as he intertwined their fingers under the comforter. "And I understand your worries because they're my worries, too. And on top of that, I worry about _you_ worrying about _her_."

"You don't have to worry about me," she said confidently.

"I do and I will regardless. It's what husbands do."

She moved closer to him and wrapped her leg around his waist.

"What else do husbands do?" she asked coyly.

"They inquire about your evening plans for tomorrow night."

Smiling, she replied, "I don't have any."

"Now you do."

"I do?"

"Umm Hmm. I was going to spring it on you tomorrow. But it's supposed to be warmer than usual tomorrow night, so I was thinking after dinner maybe we could take Charlotte on a stroll around the neighborhood, then maybe you and I could skip out and get some ice cream. Maybe be all touristy and go to the National Mall."

"Oh! That seems like fun. If I can get Shirley to stay later, I don't see why not."

"I already did, and she gladly agreed."

"Look at you! Then I guess it's a date," she said excitedly.

"I guess it is. And now that we've discussed the Nanny Guidebook, I think it might be a good idea to have Shirley over for dinner tomorrow night so that I can get to know her better."

"I think that's a good idea. You're full of good ideas tonight," she said beaming. "So other than plan date nights, what else do husbands do?"

"They do this," he said before he kissed her softly on the lips and slowly slid his tongue in her mouth.

She pulled away when she heard her phone buzz on the night stand. She reached over to answer it and sighed after looking at the screen.

"You won't believe who this is?" she said sarcastically.

He knew immediately from her tone of voice. "Let me guess who it isn't. It's not Teddy because he's probably asleep. It's certainly not Jerry because it's like pulling teeth to get him to call me." He paused for a moment before responding seriously. "Ugh. I swear, Liv. Is she okay?"

"_Hey, are you busy? If not, can you please pick me up? I'm sorry. I know it's kind of late. I just have to get out of here_," Olivia read out loud. She took a moment to respond, "**What's the address**?" She immediately hopped out of bed and moved toward their closet as she waited for a reply.

"Is that all she sent?" he asked as he looked at her phone. "Oh wait. She just replied," he said as he read her phone. "She's on Cannery Street. She must be at Rebecca's," he said confidently. "You don't have to drive all the way over there. I'll go."

"No. It's fine. She contacted me. I'll go. Stay here with Charlotte," Olivia replied as she threw on a jacket and yoga pants.

* * *

><p>When Olivia arrived at Rebecca's home, Karen was waiting for her outside on the front porch shivering. The neighborhood was very quiet except for Rebecca's home. This did not look like any sort of small gathering. There were dozens of cars parked around her home. Olivia could tell as she approached the car that Karen was in pain.<p>

"What's going on?" Olivia asked as Karen climbed into the car.

Karen shook her head before responding, "Nothing. I don't feel that good. That's all"

"Is it your collarbone?"

"Yeah," she said unconvincingly.

Olivia knew there was more too it. As Karen settled inside, she could smell alcohol on her breath. Olivia was trying to be patient, but she hated being lied to.

"Karen, have you been drinking?"

Karen huffed and rolled her eyes. "It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal! You said you wouldn't. You're on pain meds."

"I didn't take them before I left, okay."

"Well that's probably why you're in pain right now. You looked like you were going to stumble over just walking to the car."

"I'll be fine," she said coldly.

"Listen, that attitude is not working for me," Olivia said sharply. Both she and Karen were surprised by her tone of voice. The only time she was ever authoritarian with Karen was when she was working at the bakery, but even those times were rare. She left the discipline and lectures up to Fitz. She didn't feel it was her place.

"You messaged me to come pick you up and I did. At the very least, you could pretend to be grateful."

"I am grateful. I just don't need the third degree about having a little to drink. I'm 18."

"Which is vastly different from 21."

"So what? I had two or three shots! You guys act like I'm turning into an alcoholic. Everybody drinks in college."

"Well, you know I was in college once. And I don't remember drinking so much I blacked out and then getting into a car with a drunk driver and getting myself injured in the process. It looks like that's exclusive to you," Olivia responded, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she felt immediately guilty.

"Karen…."

"No! If you had seen your ex boyfriend, the guy you dated for two years, the only guy you ever loved and lost your virginity to, at a mutual friend's house with another girl, you would probably be drinking too. I didn't plan on it. It just happened. So can you lay off? It's bad enough that my parents think I'm the worst, now you, too?"

Olivia pulled over completely, shocked by all that Karen said and needing to face her.

"Zach was there?" Olivia questioned.

"Yes," Karen replied, starting to cry. "I didn't know he was going to be there. I mean, I kind of thought he would be there, which is why I wanted to go. I thought maybe if we saw each other he would, I don't know, change his mind. At least want to talk to me, especially after he sent me that text. I just thought he'd want to be with me," she said through near hysterical crying.

Careful of her broken collarbone, Olivia wrapped her arm around her. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry."

As Olivia consoled her, Karen's phone vibrated in her hand. She looked down and became frustrated as she read the caller ID.

"And this number keeps on calling me! It's the fourth fucking time today," she said angrily.

"The number that called you earlier?" Olivia asked.

"Yes."

"Let me answer it. Maybe it's just a wrong number."

Karen passed her the phone without hesitation, and Olivia answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi is Karen Grant available," a baritone voiced man responded.

"No she isn't. But this is her stepmother, Olivia Pope Grant. May I ask who's calling?"

"This is Jacob Hines calling from Hines and Associates. How are you?"

"Uh. Fine. What is this in reference to, Mr. Hines."

"I represent the Brittons. Your daughter had a brief encounter with my client."

"A brief encounter with the Brittons?" Olivia questioned out loud so that Karen could clue her in.

"The guy who I wrecked with. His family owned the house in New Canaan," Karen whispered. Olivia immediately put the call on speaker phone so that Karen could hear.

"Yes. She had a brief encounter with Charles Britton," Mr. Hines repeated.

"I'm aware. Again, I have to ask, what this call is regarding."

"We'd like to see if we can schedule a face-to-face meeting with your daughter."

"What? Why?"

"Because of the sensitive nature of the topic, I'd like not to discuss it on the phone. However, the recent actions of your daughter, her friends, and Mr. Britton have garnered some local media attention. There's an attempt from the parties involved to gain national exposure. We'd like to be proactive and resolve the matter once and for all."

"I understand that you want to use discretion on the phone, but you need to be more explicit. Are you saying that someone who was involved in the car accident is speaking to the press?"

"Precisely.

"Oh boy," Olivia said exhaustedly as she looked at the clock. It was close to 10 pm. And she was too tired to deal with this. "Mr. Hines, this is a rather inappropriate time to be reaching out to our family."

"We tried contacting you at…"

"You've caught us an inopportune time. I will discuss this with my family, and we will get back to you at a later occasion," she said before hanging up abruptly.

"Geez," Olivia said in disbelief.

"It's Ally. It has to be."

"What? What's Ally?"

"The person talking to the press. I tried to call her twice this week. I've sent her texts just to check-up on her and she's ignored me," she said as she began to cry again. "WHY IS EVERYTHING HAPPENING ALL AT ONCE?" she yelled.

"Sometimes when it rains, it pours," Olivia said as she grabbed her hand across the console. "But we'll handle it. I'll call him back tomorrow with my lawyers," she stated as a matter of fact. Her heart pounded knowing that whatever was about to unfold could be the straw that broke the camel's back for Fitz.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Looks like things are going to get worse before they get better for Karen, but that's life. Lots of stuff happening as per usual with my stories lol. Mellie thinks they should be more hands off, but Fitz thinks they should be proactive. Thoughts there? Who's right? Fitz submitted an award on Olivia's behalf, which she won? Thoughts on that front? They resolved the Nanny guidebook issue, and Fitz planned a date night. Next chapter, we will see what's unfolding for Karen and see their date night. Let me know what you think!<strong>

**Thanks for reading and reviewing and favoriting and following this story! Much appreciated. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: If sexy time isn't your thing, maybe skip out on this. Happy Reading! **

* * *

><p>When Olivia returned home from picking up Karen, she was officially exhausted. Fitz waited for them in the living room worried because it took them much longer than he anticipated. He sighed in relief when they walked through the door. He moved to hug Karen when she came into view.<p>

"Is everything alright?" he asked with concern.

Karen looked to Olivia pleadingly. She didn't want to explain or talk about what transpired at the party or in the car. She hoped that Olivia would do it for her.

"Why don't you go up to bed?" Olivia suggested. "She's not feeling too well," she explained to Fitz.

"Okay. Goodnight," she said as she moved to hug Olivia. "Thank you for picking me up."

"Not a problem," Olivia said trying her best to make it sound sincere.

They moved to the kitchen as Karen went up to her bedroom.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Is she okay? She'd obviously been drinking. I could smell it."

"She saw Zach, and he was with a girl. Apparently, it was just too much to take. I don't know," she explained as she grabbed a glass of water. "However, she got this call from Charles Britton's lawyer. He's requested a meeting."

"A meeting why?"

"Apparently, Ally is talking to the press. Probably some tabloid. I honestly don't know. I told him we would call him in the morning."

Fitz could feel his chest tighten at the news just knowing all they were going to have to deal with.

"We can't let this happen. It's bad enough her name is apart of the public record because the accident. This can't become a thing."

Olivia shrugged and abruptly moved to leave the kitchen. She headed up the stairs with Fitz on her trail.

"We have to do something. I guess we're going to have to talk his people and sort something out. I can't have her involved in this," he said seriously as they approached their bedroom.

She was conspicuously quiet. She went inside their bedroom and changed back into her pajamas.

"I just can't believe this is happening," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair. He didn't realize he was talking to himself until Olivia climbed into bed without saying another word.

"Liv?" he questioned.

"What?" she said tiredly.

He couldn't discern the reason for her attitude. Maybe she was sleepy. Maybe it was because he forgot to say thank you for picking her up. Quickly rectifying the situation, he climbed in the bed on his side and wrapped his arms around her. "I really appreciate you going to get her. Thanks, baby," he said with a smile.

"You're welcome," she said dryly.

Sighing, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing."

He raised an eyebrow wanting her to spill it.

On the drive home, she realized that as much as she adored Karen, she wasn't sure how much of her craziness she could take. Just knowing that the lawyer situation would add to Fitz's already enormous stress load made her uneasy.

"I don't want to sound bitter or mean or selfish, but, I'm really tired of this situation with Karen," she replied.

"Liv, I know we weren't expecting this, but…"

"But what? I understand that it's our responsibility to make sure that she's cared for. I want the best for her, I hate that she's going through this. If I could take it away, I would, but it's a lot right now."

"I know it is," he said sympathetically.

"I just want to come home from work without getting a phone call or a text or a knock on the door, just without a disruption from her. Baby, I'm sorry if that sounds awful. And I'm not trying to nag. I just want to spend time with you and have you fully present with me and Charlotte. _I_ want to be able to spend time with _you_ and be fully present. We've become so wrapped up in Karen, but we have other kids that have needs, too. We've missed basketball games and practices because we're dealing with Karen. I'm coming home early to make sure she's cared for. We're putting Charlotte to bed early because we're both exhausted. Now, we're both going to have to call up our lawyers, take more time off of work so that we can figure out this situation with this Britton guy. I mean when does it end?"

He didn't know what to say. She honestly didn't want a response. She needed to vent and get it all out there. She didn't want to make him feel guilty. It wasn't his fault. He was doing his part for his daughter. He was trying to be there for the whole family, but he would be lying if he didn't admit that it was starting to take a toll on him.

"I don't know. I just want to do what's right for her," he said.

She scooted towards him and cupped his face with her hands before giving him a chaste kiss.

"I shouldn't have unloaded like that," she said as she stroked his hair.

"You're fine. I understand."

"Let's just go to bed."

She turned her back to him without another word. She drifted to sleep quickly, but his mind was running a mile a minute.

* * *

><p>The next morning he woke up with Charlotte and her toys causing a ruckus in the bed with him. She was on Olivia's side with pillows around her to buffer her from falling. He could only smile at the sight of waking up to his daughter. He immediately moved over to reach for her as she moved around the bed.<p>

"Hi, baby girl," he said groggily as he sat up with her. "Good morning, Charlotte Rose," he said as he kissed her forehead.

He looked up and saw his wife coming out of the bathroom fully dressed. He could tell that she was just getting started on her hair and make-up.

"Morning, beautiful," he said brightly.

"Good morning," she replied. "Sorry about this," she said pointing to Charlotte. "Shirley got caught up in motorcade traffic. And I really needed to get ready for work." She was clearly frustrated, but Fitz couldn't tell why. It could have been Shirley's lateness. Olivia detested tardiness, but Shirley had an understandable reason, so it couldn't have been that. Maybe she was still thinking about Karen. He looked up at the clock. It was 8:30. He never slept in that late. Since having Charlotte, they were normally up, dressed and out of the house by 8:30.

"How is it already past eight," he asked worriedly as stood Charlotte up so that she could stand with his help. "I'm going to be late," he said but made no move to get ready for work.

"I looked at your calendar, and your first real meeting isn't until 11, so I figured you could use the sleep," she replied. Though her actions were caring, her tone of voice was still distant. She didn't even look at him as she spoke to him. "I just called our lawyer. He's agreed to get Britton's guy on the phone and conference us in. I sent Karen a text so that she could be informed. She wants to conference in, too. We'll do that this afternoon," she explained.

"How did you do that so fast?" he asked. Olivia was always efficient, but this took the cake.

"I offered to make his daughter's wedding cake for free if he could have this set up by the end of the day," she said firmly. They normally would have laughed at such a barter, but she was completely serious.

The doorbell interrupted their conversation. "That's probably Shirley," she said as she moved towards him to take Charlotte out of his grasp.

"Wait. I'm playing with her," he said as he stopped her.

"Fitz, you've got to get ready for work, and I have to leave soon. I've got to run to the pharmacy for Karen and…"

He got out of the bed with Charlotte and moved to leave the room. "I'll let her in," he said assuredly.

"Could you put on a shirt please? I don't want to make Shirley uncomfortable," he heard on his way out. He ignored her and quickly ran downstairs to answer the door.

When he opened the door, Shirley looked in distress. "Mr. Grant…" she started.

"Fitz," he corrected.

"Fitz, I am so sorry I am late. I'm never late, but the traffic was so unexpected. I normally stick to the back roads, but I had to run a few early morning errands and…"

"It's okay," he assured her. "It happens. You're fine," he said with a smile as he let her inside. She immediately walked towards the kitchen where they continued their conversation. He handed her Charlotte so that he could start a pot of coffee.

"Do you drink coffee?" he asked.

"Sometimes," she replied.

He nodded his head and made enough for her too.

"Shirley, I hate to spring this on you, but I was wondering if we could change our plans. I wanted to have you over for dinner, so that I could get to know you better, and I still want to do that. But I think tonight may not be the best night. I've got some stuff to handle with my older daughter and…"

"Oh that's okay," she said stopping him. "Do you still need me tonight? I don't mind staying later as we planned."

"That would be great, Shirley. I want to take my wife out tonight so that we can discuss some things. She needs the night out."

"I understand that. Happy wife, happy life."

"Exactly," he said with a smile. "Guess who's crawling," he said looking at his daughter who had become distracted by the salt shaker on the kitchen table.

"Is this one crawling?" Shirley replied with a huge smile. In her few short days, she had already become attached to Charlotte. It was hard not to when she was so adorable and sweet.

"She is. I'll have to show you the video," he said proudly. He looked at the time on the stove and realized that he needed to get ready for work. More importantly, he needed to figure out what was bothering Olivia and tell her about the change of plans.

"Shirley, thank you for being so flexible."

"Not a problem."

"Are you two, okay?" he asked as he moved to leave.

"We're fine. We've got a full day," Shirley replied.

With that, he quickly left the kitchen to get ready for work. When he entered their bedroom, he found Olivia at the vanity of their master bathroom, straightening her hair. He could tell from the way it was sectioned, she hadn't gotten too far.

He came up behind her and kissed her shoulder.

"Shower with me," he requested.

"What? I've already showered. I don't have time," she said, looking at him through the mirror.

"Make time," he said urgently.

She turned around and frowned. "Babe, I really don't have time."

"Make. Time," he insisted once more as he took the flat-iron out of her hand.

"By the time that you finish straightening your hair and doing your make-up we will be done with the shower," he said convincingly as she turned to face him.

He leaned down to unbutton her oxford work shirt. She bit her bottom lip, but didn't protest as much as she wanted to. She was not in the mood to shower with him, but the look on his face and the tone of voice told her that he needed it. When her shirt was completely unbuttoned, he pushed it off of her shoulders. He extended his hand to her so that she could stand, and then he unzipped her pants and helped her take them off, leaving her in her undergarments.

"Shirley's downstairs," she reminded him.

"I know. Unless she has bionic hearing, we'll be fine."

She gave him a knowing look, fully aware that they were incredibly loud most times, but especially in the shower.

"Just use your inside voice," he said playfully as he slid his pants down. He started the water as she removed her panties and bra. "Besides, it's just a shower. I don't plan on touching you or anything," he said half-heartedly.

That remark made her smile for the first time that morning. He slid the shower door open, went inside, and reached out his hand to her.

She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly at the feeling of the hot water hitting her back. It was their usual position in the shower. She didn't like being cold, so she stood under the water with her back facing the shower head. She freed her hair of clips so that it could return to its natural, curly state.

He waited for her to open her eyes before he spoke.

"Are you going to tell me what has waking up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

"I'm okay," she replied. But her averted eyes told him otherwise.

He picked up a hand and kissed it.

"Yeah?" he said trying to read her expression. "Be honest," he said seriously.

She exhaled and looked up at him. "We've talked about it. I said it last night. This situation is really starting to take a toll. And I hate that it's turning me in to this harping, nagging wife who's complaining that you don't spend enough time with me, who's in an uproar over a house. That's not who we are. And we've just been snappy and short with each other, and I honestly feel like most of it can be traced back to this Karen situation. It sucks. Because she's family, and she's having a hard time, and we have to be there for her. And I wouldn't have it any other way, but Fitz it feels like we're going to have to sacrifice our sense of normal because of it. And I hate it. I hate how selfish just saying that out loud makes me feel and sound," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Honey," he said as he kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her body. "Trust me when I say, it will get better."

"Is it? Because I swear Fitz, tomorrow, we're going to find out that she dropped out of school. Next week she's going to have a damn crack addiction. It's excessive."

He was trying hard not to laugh, but it was too funny to refrain from chuckling.

"Crack? That's a leap. I feel like she probably wouldn't jump to crack. Mostly because it's not 1982," he said with a smile.

She lightly slapped his chest and threw her head back laughing. "You know what I mean!" she said through giggles.

"Heaven forbid it happen, but it would probably be something like ecstasy. Isn't that what the kids are taking these days. Mary? We saw it on that 20/20 special."

She laughed even harder. She had to cling to him to keep from falling. "Molly," she corrected. "But it's a party drug, babe."

"Oh? Because she doesn't party? I don't think she's ever attended one of those" he said jokingly. Even he had to laugh at the situation and their conversation. Though it was serious situation, it felt good to realize the absurdity of the circumstance and bring some levity to it, especially when he felt like he was one bad phone call away from a panic attack.

When their laughter settled, he kissed her nose. "We'll figure it out. Come what may," he said confidently. "I just need for you to be my rock. I know that may be too much pressure for one person. But I need it. Honey, if you're freaking out over this, the whole house is going to fall apart. Nothing is going to get done. Karen really will be forced out of school because I'll forget to send in the tuition check and pay all of her other bills. Then, she really will have some sort of drug addiction. Jerry's going to continue to act like a distant relative because no one will book his flights to make sure I see him at least once a month. Poor Teddy and Charlotte will petition for new parents. Charlotte's going to crawl her way to CPS or try to get emancipated, if you're falling apart and freaking out. Because if you're falling apart, I'm falling apart times three. So I need you to be my rock. We need you to be our rock."

She giggled and nodded her head. She didn't feel pressure to support her family. She wouldn't have it any other way. And as much as Fitz talked about needing her to be his pillar, he was just as much a unit of support for their family. It was why they could handle these situations and challenges without everything spinning out of control. She was now realizing, though she had moments of doubt, that everything would be okay. She leaned up and opened her mouth to him, bringing their lips together, but didn't seal them. She bated his tongue with hers before clasping her lips with his. She kissed him slowly and sensually.

"I love you very much," she said as she pulled away. She was quite literally overwhelmed by how enamored she was of him. "Like it actually hurts a little how much," she added.

"The feeling is more than mutual," he said kissing her once more.

She reached between them and stroked his growing length. "Yeah?" she asked against his lips, even though she had no discernible reason to question it for a moment.

Tugging on her bottom lip with his teeth, he took his rigid shaft out of her hand and teased her entrance with the tip before slowly sliding inside of her. There was no doubt in her mind that she could double over from his teasing.

"Fitz," she hissed, at the feeling of him entering her.

He turned her so that her back was facing the glass shower door and eased himself in and out of her core. Without her having to ask, he lifted her leg on the shower ledge so that he could gain greater depth.

She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, slapping his shoulders, as he made quick thrusts against her. Without hesitation, he sunk his teeth into her neck hard enough to surely leave evidence of his hunger for her. He gently kissed the newly bitten place on her neck, before whispering, "I love you, beautiful," over and over again in her ear.

"Shit, Liv. The way it feels around you," he groaned as he alternated between long strokes and choppy thrusts. "Fuck," he cried hitting the glass door with his open palm, knowing this would end far quicker than he wanted to.

"Oh…Babe," she said breathlessly realizing that it wouldn't take much to send her to her breaking point. She reached between her legs, but he slapped her hand away and replaced it with two fingers, caressing her center until she found completion. She yelled his name far louder than she expected, a complete involuntary reaction to the feeling of him swathed inside of her. After catching her breath, she pulled away from their embrace. She could only smile at his distressed face at the lack of contact. She quickly dropped to her knees, wanting to feel him finish inside of her in different way. She licked his length and kissed the tip before taking him fully in her mouth.

"Geez, Livvie," he called out at the feeling of her tasting him and the sight of her head bobbing. The pleasure of her lips on his cock was almost unbearable. He whimpered at the contact, which only spurred her on.

"Sweetheart, I-I-I'm going to come," he alerted her before spilling himself in her mouth. She smiled up at him while he panted to catch his breath. He helped her off of her knees and kissed her vigorously as he moved them under the shower head. With her arms around her neck and his limb crossing her waist, they were glued to each other as the water rinsed their bodies, neither feeling any urgency to move. She gently bit his shoulder as he held her close.

Ending their moment of solitude, "I'm pretty sure Shirley heard that," she said with a giggle. They were sure to be mortified by the prospect when they went downstairs, but for now, they basked in their closeness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just kidding..Date night will happen in chapter 12! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! <strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Sexy times ahead, so if that's not your thing, you may want to try chapter 13. **

* * *

><p>"What are you wearing?" Olivia heard on the other end of her private work line. Normally her husband's attempt at phone sex, with his smooth baritone voice, would make her melt. But right now, they were about to begin a conference call with their family lawyer, Jean Waters, as well as Charles Britton's attorney and Karen.<p>

"You know what I am wearing. You helped me get dressed this morning," she replied.

"I can't wait to undress you tonight.

"Fitz! Someone may have dialed in already."

"They haven't. I'm the administrator. It alerts me when someone's dialed in."

"You need to behave."

"What? I'm not misbehaving. But if I were, how would you punish me?"

"I'm not doing this with you. And I'm never showering with you again if this is the result."

"Yes you will," he said confidently

"No I won't!"

"Okay. I'll try to remember that the next time you sneak in to one of my late night showers trying to kiss my shoulders and my neck and then begging me to touch you. I've got your number."

"I do not do that!"

"You do to do that. But that's okay because the next I'll just ignore it."

"Giggling, "You won't do that. You'll relax every time I kiss you, and then you'll turn to face me and you'll say '_Where_,'" she countered, mocking his voice.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about, but I wish I didn't have to hear it," they both heard, which successfully interrupted their conversation. They immediately recognized Karen's voice and grew embarrassed that she overheard their explicit discussion.

"Oh sorry," Olivia apologized. Knowing that Fitz was sitting near his laptop, she sent him an iMessage from her iPad.

**Olivia: You said that you could tell when someone hopped on! **

_Fitz: I didn't notice. Sorry! _

Moments later, the attorneys, Jean Waters and Jacob Hines, joined their conference.

"Is everyone on?" Jacob asked.

"It looks like it," Fitz confirmed.

"Great let's get started. I had the pleasure of speaking to you Mrs. Pope-Grant last night," Jacob said.

_Pope-Grant? This must be official, serious business!_ Fitz joked in an instant message.

"Yes," Olivia confirmed before replying to Fitz, **Pay attention! **

"As we discussed, one of the people at Mr. Britton's gathering has been approached by a major tabloid," Jacob told the group.

_This guy sounds like SpongeBob. How does anyone take him seriously?_, Fitz messaged Olivia.

Olivia looked down at her screen and laughed out loud. She covered her mouth trying to muffle the sound. She couldn't unheard SpongeBob's voice after reading it. **Be serious**_!,_ she responded. She tried her hardest to pay attention to the call.

"Is it Ally?" Karen asked. "It has to be," she said angrily.

"That is correct," Jacob confirmed.

"Bitch," Karen muttered.

"Karen!" Fitz scolded.

"What does that have to do with Karen?" Olivia asked.

"Aside from the fact that she will likely name names, some of the stuff she is alleging is not true. It goes to press in a few days, and we'd like to get the truth on the record."

"What is she saying?" Fitz asked worriedly.

"She is alleging that there was group intercourse and illicit drug use, all of which Mr. Britton firmly denies," Jacob explained.

"What?" Fitz said in disbelief. There was no way his daughter was engaged in any of that activity.

"I know. It is truly unbelievable, and if it they print it, it will be libelous in every way, but with Melissa's injury and Ally's cooperation with the press it is difficult to get the truth out. This is why, Karen, your version of events is so necessary," Jacob added.

Jean interrupted. "Listen, Jacob. I've not had time to even prep my client. So I'm a little clueless as to the version of events you speak of, as I'm sure the Grants are as well. You will not get an on the record statement of events during this phone call."

"I understand, but we've got to move quickly. This story will likely move forward as is if we don't have Karen to help fact check," Jacob said.

"This is crazy!" Fitz said. "Karen, can't you just talk to Ally and get her to not to do this? What does she get out of lying about what happen? This is a lie right?" Fitz asked.

Before she could answer, Jacob spoke again. "She's getting offered money for her story. The Britton's name carries weight. Charles is in the middle of a heated local election. If this story gets out, it will not only distract from the progress he's made, it will tarnish his reputation and your daughter's. So we're willing to offer two times the amount we've estimated Ally is receiving for her story for your cooperation."

"You can't seriously be offering my client a bribe?" Jean questioned.

"No this is not a bribe. Think of it as type of settlement."

Groaning, "This is ridiculous and borderline illegal," Fitz said. "Did offer Ally this, too? If so, why didn't she take it? She would more money out of you then the press, so it really makes me wonder if there's not some truth to this story," Fitz said growing frustrated.

"I can assure that Ally is interested in notoriety. She's a party girl from a socialite family..." Jacob tried to explain before Karen interrupted.

"How much money?" Karen asked.

"It doesn't matter how much. You're not taking their money," Fitz said firmly.

"I'm just curious," Karen replied.

" $20,000," Jacob informed.

"You will give me $20,000 to tell you what happened on the record?" Karen questioned. This was too good to be true, she thought.

"Well…" Jacob started.

Jean realized exactly what he was implying and spoke up. "No he wants you to tell his version of what happened that night. He doesn't actually care about the truth."

"Well, what is the truth?" Olivia asked. This conversation was spiraling out, and she was clueless as to what when happened that night.

"I will tell you whatever you want to know, whatever you want to hear for $20,000," Karen said.

"Karen!" Fitz scolded completely shocked. "You will do no such thing. You will tell the truth, regardless of what happened, for free. Whether it's just to us or his lawyers or that the magazine directly, I don't care, but money will not be involved."

"The truth is I honestly don't remember. That is the truth. It's the same thing that I told the day after everything happened. I remember going there, drinking, and sitting alone in their parlor. Did I see any drugs? No, but that doesn't mean they weren't there. I can tell you I 100% did not have sex with anyone. I don't remember anything close to that happening, but I was by myself a good portion of the night until Melissa said she wanted ice cream…I think," Karen said, trying her best to recall the night.

"Will you put this in writing?" Jacob asked.

"Yes," Karen agreed.

"She will tell her version of the truth for free," Fitz clarified.

"I did not say that," Karen piped up. She was clearly annoyed with her father's presumptions.

"Karen, what are you saying? We're not taking a bribe." Fitz said.

"It's not a bribe. It will be a settlement with stipulations," Jacob corrected.

"This makes no sense," Fitz said. "You are not taking their money."

"Karen, given that Mr. Britton is in the middle of an election, I would advise against taking any financial offers," Jean added.

"Dad, I'm 18 years old. You can't tell me what to do."

"As long as you are living under my roof, and I pay every single one of your bills, you will listen to me," he said firmly. "And you will certainly show me some respect regardless of how old you are."

"All the more reason I'm taking the money," Karen retorted.

Hearing the frustration and anger in his voice, Olivia sent him another message.

**Olivia: Baby, please calm down. Maybe you should get off the call and take some time to think. I'll fill you in on the rest. **

_Fitz: THESE PPL ARE FUCKING OUT OF THEIR MINDS!_

"Why don't we regroup…"Jean started.

"I don't need to regroup. I don't want anything more do to with this. Karen is an adult, and she can handle this any way she sees fit. Do not call me about the matter. Jean, send me the invoice for your time. If you chose to advise Karen, she can pay for it herself," Fitz said before hanging up the phone.

* * *

><p><em>Later that evening... <em>

"Honey, I'm so ready to have a bigger closet," Olivia yelled to Fitz from their walk-in. She was getting ready for their date night while he sat with Charlotte on a small love seat in the sitting area of their master bedroom. They were in a bidding war for the Georgetown home she coveted, but she couldn't stop herself from imagining having larger storage space for clothes.

"We could probably put a washer and dryer in the new closet," she added.

"Probably. But babe, I don't want you to get your hopes up. It's not ours yet," Fitz responded.

"It will be," she said as she stood in the doorway to face him. She smiled seeing Charlotte bounce in his lap. This was the calmest she'd seen him since their conference call with their lawyer. He was serious when he was said that he didn't want anything more to do with the situation with Britton's lawyer. When Olivia wanted to talk about it with him, he refused. Even though Karen was just a few doors down in her bedroom, he managed to avoid seeing or talking to her, which is the way he needed it stay until he got his thoughts together.

"Will you finish getting dressed please?" he asked, watching her stand in front of him in just her bra and panties. "We're going to be late for our reservation."

As she headed back inside their closet to finish getting ready, they heard a knock on their bedroom door.

Assuming it was their nanny, "Shirley, we'll be down in a just a minute," Fitz.

"It's me, dad," he heard in response. He groaned hearing Karen's voice and refused to allow her inside of his tranquil space. When Olivia didn't hear him respond, she assumed he opened the door for her, but when she didn't hear Karen's voice inside their room, she put on her robe, left the closet and opened the door for her.

"What's up, Karen?" Olivia asked.

"I just wanted to talk to you guys before you left for dinner. I asked Shirley why she was still here, and she said you were going out tonight."

"Yes," Olivia confirmed and let her inside their bedroom. Karen took a seat on the edge of their bed. She was nervous to fill them on what transpired within the last few hours. A lot had changed in a short amount of time, and lot would continue to change within the next few weeks. She didn't know where to start.

"I wanted to fill you in what happened after the phone call," she explained.

Fitz groaned, and as if she could protest the conversation as well, Charlotte started to whine in her father's lap. Olivia moved toward Fitz, took a seat beside him, and grabbed Charlotte. She gave her a quick kiss before settling her in a cradle hold.

"After the call ended, I called Jean back. I told her exactly what happened the night of the accident, and I told her that I wanted to work with the Brittons," Karen explained.

"Karen, I told you I'm not paying for any of this, so you better be prepared to pay for Jean's work by yourself," Fitz said angrily.

"I am. I have. I took the deal," Karen said confidently. "I'm not supposed to talk about it technically because I signed an NDA, but I want you guys to know what's going on."

"I wrote an affidavit describing the details of the night as I remembered them. None of those details implicate Charles. I agreed to do press if necessary to combat whatever Ally is saying to the tabloids."

"You took their money?" Fitz questioned.

"I accepted their offer," Karen said, sounding more mature than she'd ever had.

"You don't need their money. You have everything you could possibly need or want. I pay all of your bills. You have no debt. You won't have debt when graduate. Why would need to accept their offer?" Fitz asked, genuinely confused by her actions.

"I don't want what you do for me financially hanging over my head," Karen replied.

"It's not hanging over your head. I'm your father. It's what I'm supposed to do. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"There are things that I want to do that I don't think you'd be accepting of."

"Like?" he questioned.

"Traveling," she stated.

"This is bullshit," he replied.

"Fitz!" Olivia said looking at him and then back at Charlotte.

"I'm sorry, but this is crazy. You took their money so that you could travel. Karen, you are well traveled. We go on vacations all the time. We planned for study abroad your sophomore year."

"I want to really travel, immerse myself in a different culture."

"Since when?" he asked.

"The past few weeks, I've realized that life is short. Everything has been terrible for the past few weeks, and I want a change. I want a break. I want to experience something else. I want to go to med school, but there's so much more I want to experience first. I don't want to go back to New York for school right now. I don't want to go back period. There's too much negativity and bad memories. I want a fresh start."

"Well then transfer somewhere else," he suggested.

"I will. Once I come back from Thailand. I plan on transferring to Georgetown."

"You cannot be serious," he responded.

"I am."

"You're using $20,000 to go to Asia," he said, trying to make sense of it.

"Not just that. I'm donating some of it to the clinic where I had my procedure."

He was struggling to understand where this was coming from. "The place where you had your abortion? YOU'RE GIVING THEM MONEY? WHAT? WHY?"

"Dad, you may not understand it, and I don't expect you to. But that clinic does way more than abortion procedures. They counsel women, they provide sex education, they help provide alternatives and support for women who are struggling with their decision. They help with all aspects of reproductive health, and they were good to me, they helped me when I honestly felt like there were no other people I could turn to without judgment."

Stunned by her explanation, "Karen, I'm…You…" he said and then stopped.

"This is not an argument or up for debate. This is done," she said sounding every bit like her father. Olivia was surprised by her decisiveness. It startled Fitz to see so much of himself in her in that moment.

"Where will you stay?" Olivia asked.

"There's a volunteer program. You have to raise your own support. Melissa's parents work for the organization. There's accommodations within the program."

"How long will you be gone?" he asked sadly, fully understanding that she was certain about this.

"Twelve weeks."

"Do you have a visa?" he asked.

"I've applied for one today."

"So you've had this planned?" he questioned.

"No. Not really. But after last night, seeing Zach with that girl, and the accident I just realized that something has to change, and this is something I've always been interested."

"I've literally never heard you mention Thailand," he said.

"It's something I've thought about doing in the context of study broad, but I want something different, and this seems fun, and rewarding and life changing, so I'm doing it. I just want you to know because I'd really like your support."

Without thinking about it further, "We support you," Olivia said confidently. "If this is what you need to do, you have our full support."

Fitz gave her a pointed look, and she returned his icy glare. "I think I can speak for both of us when I say, we're very shocked, but, sweetheart, if you're feeling lead to do this, and it's for a good cause, I don't see why you shouldn't go. I know you're not asking for permission, but I think you should go."

"This just seems like a hasty decision. What are you going to do there? How do you know his organization isn't some scam?" he asked not fully sold on the idea.

"She said Melissa's parents work for them. We'll just give them a call and get more details for our peace of mind," Olivia countered.

"And to answer your question, I'll be teaching English to children," Karen added.

Huffing, "Well I don't know what there's left to say, so" Fitz said.

"We'll talk about it more tomorrow," Olivia suggested, looking down at Charlotte who was starting to get hungry.

"Okay," Karen agreed and left the room.

Fitz looked at her with disdain and bewilderment. Passing Charlotte back to him so that she could get dressed, "We'll figure it out," Olivia said as soon as the door closed.

* * *

><p>"Oh this is precious," Olivia said as she held up a white, nautical dress with attached bloomers. "She could wear this when we're in Santa Barbara for the Jon's yacht party." Her face lit up when she saw a similar sailor dress. "This is one's cute, too. She will look so sweet in it," she beamed just imagining her baby girl wearing the dress. "Which one do you like?" she asked, holding up both dresses.<p>

"I like the bl-"

"We'll just get them both," she interrupted.

He wasn't sure how their date night turned into a shopping trip for Charlotte, but he knew better than to complain. After a wonderful steakhouse dinner, where discussions of children were avoided, Olivia insisted that they drive a few blocks down to one of D.C.'s high end baby boutiques.

"Look how cute," Olivia gushed as she spotted a hooded parka with ears. "Honey, she needs this. It's going to get bitterly cold soon."

"Just a few more minutes, and we'll be out of here," Olivia said noticing her husband growing bored with their impromptu shopping trip. He could never understand why Charlotte needed so many clothes. Her closet was full of clothes with price tags still on them. She had more shoes than the average adult, and she couldn't even walk yet. He never questioned Olivia's excessive shopping for Charlotte because he know how much she loved dressing Charlotte up.

He spotted a onesie that read, "Daddy's Princess" and smiled. He grabbed two in different sizes and passed them to Olivia. She gave them a once over and grinned in return. Charlotte had so many variations of "Daddy's Girl," or "I Love Daddy" on onesies and t-shirts, it was hard to keep track. If he was honest, he knew that he did his fair of shopping for his daughter as well. Anytime, he saw something that reminded him of her, even if she wouldn't get any use out of it for years, he purchased it.

"I could really go for something sweet," he said as he eyed a tiny t-shirt with cupcakes on it.

"I asked if you wanted dessert at the restaurant, and you said no," she replied as she took their items towards the register.

"I didn't, but now a red velvet brownie sounds good."

"Oh babe, I wish you would have said something earlier. I would have brought some home."

"I'll just stop by the bakery tomorrow on my lunch break."

Looking down at her watch,"I'll text Abby and tell her to save a couple, and we'll swing by on the way home."

"We don't have to do that."

"I know, but it's on the way. Besides, I left my iPad, which I need for my meeting with Lauren tomorrow morning."

"Okay," he eagerly agreed, pulling out his wallet to pay for Charlotte's new clothes.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, they found themselves in a booth in the corner of the bakery indulging in a large slice of red velvet brownie with vanilla ice cream. Ice cream wasn't on the menu, but it was an item they kept on hand.<p>

They kept to themselves, wanting to feel like any other customers. It was hard for Olivia not to take charge and help other patrons, but she let her staff fulfill their duties.

She held his hand across the table. "We need to talk about it," she said softly, referring to his oldest daughter.. Karen's situation was inevitable, and avoiding it wasn't going to make it go away.

"There's not much to say."

"There's a lot to say," she replied. "Why don't you want her to go? Let's start there."

"It's not that I don't want her to go. If everything hadn't happened, if this were three months ago, I would have been surprised, but willing to accept it. Right now, it feels like she's running away from her problems. You can't run away to Thailand and expect everything to be better. There are better ways for her to handle this situation."

"I get that, but I think getting away from it all will give her the perspective that she needs."

"She can get that perspective right here in D.C. She can see a therapist. She can move back in with us. She can get out of New York and find the peace of mind she wants. She doesn't have to go half way across the world for that. And the fact that she took that money from them! What if it comes back to haunt her?"

"Then she'll deal with the consequences. Honey, she is an adult, and it's her life. It's her journey. She has to navigate it the best way she knows how.

"So what are we supposed to do? Just let her go?"

"She's going whether we want her to or not. So we can either get on board, help her with this transition, or we don't. And I think you know the right thing to do."

When he groaned in frustration, she moved to sit beside him in the booth. "This is good for her. She'll leave for twelve weeks, which is not that long. She'll come back, we'll help her get an apartment close to campus, and she can finish her freshman year. We'll push for summer school, so she can get caught up. But in the meantime, we'll talk to Melissa's parents and get all the information we can about the organization. She'll spend whatever time she has before her trip here in D.C. We can keep an eye on her and make sure she's doing okay emotionally. She can work in the bakery again if she wants to."

"But what about the money, Liv? I don't want her taking dirty money."

"It's not dirty per se. It's a little suspect, but we'll make sure everything is clear on her side. We'll make sure she has exact records from the family. We'll make sure it's taxed properly."

"You really think it's a good idea?"

"I don't think it's a bad one."

"Okay," he said leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I'm ready for a vacation," he said tiredly. "This is entirely too much."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Abby approaching them. She looked around and noticed that all the other patrons had left, and the girls had already closed the shop. She looked down at her watch, and was surprised to find that it was fifteen minutes past closing.

"Liv, sorry to interrupt, but we're all going to head out," Abby said.

"Okay. See you tomorrow. We'll just be a few more minutes. I'll lock up," Olivia replied.

"Alright. Bye you guys," Abby said before leaving them alone in the shop.

"Come on," Olivia said as she picked up their large dessert bowl and moved to the kitchen with Fitz on her heels.

"Babe, will you grab Charlotte's mangoes and prunes out of the fridge," she asked as she washed up their dishes.

He moved to the large, stainless steel commercial fridge and was overwhelmed by its contents. Despite it being meticulously organized, there was so much food.

"Where are they?" he questioned.

"Look on the second shelf from the bottom. They should be near the strawberry icing."

He looked in that exact location and spotted them, but the strawberry icing sounded far more interesting than Charlotte's baby food.

He grabbed a container of icing and crept up on Olivia as she stood with her back towards him at the sink.

She jumped, but then relaxed when she felt his arm wrap around her midsection. He kissed the back of her neck, garnering a whisper soft moan from her. He turned off the water and turned her around. She smiled when she saw the icing container in his hand.

Shaking her head and wagging her finger at him, "You're naughty," she whispered.

"And you're about to be naked. Take off your clothes," he said intently. There was something about his demanding, gruff voice and his ardent stare that always turned her on.

When she started to pull her dress over her head, he stopped her.

"Over there," he said pointing the work table in the middle of the kitchen. She sauntered to stand in front of the work table and slipped her dress over her head, leaving her in a bra, underwear and heels.

With three feet between them, he continued to take in her impeccable form. How he managed to marry the woman in front of him, he would never understand. She was perfect in every way. She wanted him badly, but he didn't make a move. She made a step toward him, and he took a step back. He was not finished marveling in her beauty.

"What?" she asked growing anxious for his touch and bashful under his stare. "Stop looking at me like that. Just tell me what you want."

"I want you to know you're the most beautiful woman," he said finally approaching her. Placing the icing on the table,"I want you to know that I'm madly in love with you," he continued. He reached for her and wrapped his arms around her.

"And I'm the luckiest man to have you," he said and then gave her a tongue-filled kiss.

"I'm the luckiest woman to have you," she replied when she pulled away. She hopped on the table and pulled him in between her legs.

He reached behind her, unclasped her bra, and slowly removed it from her body. He pulled her underwear down and slid them off her legs. Aside from her heels on her feet, she sat completely naked on the table top waiting for him to make a move.

Grabbing the icing from the table, "Lie down," he commanded.

He swiped icing on two fingers and spread it from the center of her chest to her belly button, careful not to miss her pointed nipples. The chill of the icing coupled with her growing desire caused her to shiver on the table top.

He gave her pursed lips another kiss before moving down her body, swirling his tongue around her nipples, and removing every inch of icing that covered her body. Spreading her legs wide, he swiped more icing on his fingers and placed them near her mouth. She sucked on his fingers, enjoying the sweet strawberry taste, as he buried his head between her legs, and his tongue delved into her center. She darted her tongue around his digits while he strummed her clit with his tongue.

"Oh…oh," she cried, completely short of breath as her shaky legs hit the table.

As much as she knew she would enjoy finding completion by way of his tongue, she wanted to feel him inside of her. With his head planted between her legs, she roughly tugged on his locks. "Babe, please. I can't take anymore," she begged, but he continued to twirl his tongue inside her folds.

"Inside of me…I want you inside of me," she whined. He stood up and unbuckled his pants, pulling them down until they hit the floor along with his boxer briefs. Fully erect, he pulled her legs over his shoulder and slowly gave her every inch of him. He reveled in the sensation of filling her while enjoying the roughness of her stiletto clad feet hitting his shoulder blades. With sweaty palms, she held on to the edge of the table as he thrust into her. She had a love-hate relationship with this position. She hated how much she was at his mercy, having little ability to control the pace, but she loved how deep it felt when he moved against her. His constant back and forth motions were causing her to lose it. His steady pumps were too much to take. She knew she was about to splinter into oblivion.

"I think you're going to come," he said as her face contorted in pleasure. "Are you going to come?" he asked sliding his hands over her midsection.

She coyly shook her head no, but even in pleasure filled haze, he could make out her gesture.

"No?" he questioned.

Moving her legs from his shoulders to around his waist, he quickened his pace, pushing himself into her forcefully in a steady, rapid rhythm. Gasping at the new position and pace, she slid one hand over her breast, gently caressing it, and one hand down to her center.

"You're not?" he questioned again, pumping into her fervently.

She shook her head no again, though her face and breathing told him something else. He pushed into her one more time, and she came seconds later.

"Babe, I'm coming," she whispered as she squirmed on the table.

Though he heard her clearly, he wanted to hear her louder. "What?" he asked as he moved in a consistent, quick back and forth motion.

"I'm coming," she said louder.

"You're what?"

"COMING," she yelled

"That's what I thought," he replied as he felt himself about to finish. Nodding his head, "Shit!" he cried with his eyes firmly shut. The feeling of being engulfed by his wife, hearing her moan his name,seeing her twitch underneath him, and having spasms around him would never get old. Jerking and gripping her waist, he messily poured himself inside of her, groaning until he went soft.

Craving his tenderness as she settled from her peak, she rubbed her hands up and down his forearm as he clutched her waist. She smiled at him when he finally opened his eyes. With her legs still wrapped around him, she sat up and stared at the beautiful man before her.

"Hold me," she requested in a tone he rarely heard her use, one of complete vulnerability. She didn't care that they weren't in the confines of their bedroom, she needed his loving touch. And he didn't care about the mess they had just made, without a second thought, he kicked off his pants and toed off his shoes before removing her heels.

He hopped up on the table top and brought her to his lap. He circled one hand low around her back one hand around her shoulder. He held her naked form close as she nuzzled his neck. She released a sigh of relief feeling him hold her in the most protective, comforting way. With his hands in her hair, he gently massaged her scalp before kissing the top of her head.

She gently bit his neck before giving it a quick kiss. "I love you," she softly whispered into it. He gently pulled her head up to face him. Pressing his lips against hers, he gave her a slow, sodden kiss. He leaned back to face her pushing a stray hair out of her face.

"I love you, too, Livvie," he replied, gently stroking her back. She rested her head on his shoulder, and they settled into a long silence. Every time they had sex these days, she was conscious of the fact that she wanted another baby. Those thoughts never hindered the intimacy she shared with her husband, but it was always lingering in the back of her mind.

Breaking their silence, she lifted her head and said with a pout, "I really hope we make a new Grant soon."

"We will, but we just started. We gotta be patient."

"I just want it to happen _now_."

"You know if you got pregnant now, Charlotte would be sixteen months when you delivered. Would you be ready for that?" he asked, realizing how difficult it was for Mellie in the beginning when Jerry and Karen were so close in age. Though they discussed having children close in age many times, they never talked about how hard it could be.

She shrugged. "Probably not, but we'll figure it out. I'll take a longer maternity leave if I have to."

He was shocked to hear that, and his expression showed it.

"What? I will," she said.

"You say that now, but you will not be able to stay away from the bakeries. Honey, you were back part-time four weeks after having Charlotte."

"It's a small business. I have to be hands-on."

"It's not that small anymore, and you have a lot of great help. You and I both know that Abby and Quinn can handle it."

"I know, which is why I feel like now is a great time to expand our family. I feel very confident leaving the stores in their hands. I want another baby. I want Charlotte to have someone close to her age to play with. I don't want her to ever feel lonely. I want her to have someone to share childhood memories with like you and our older kids have. And I know it will be tough, and we will be tired, and Charlotte may have a hard time adjusting to a new baby in the short term, but we'll get through it. Like I said, I'm willing to give up a lot to make this a reality."

She wasn't sure why he was questioning it. He'd always seem so on board with her having more children. He said he wanted it when they were viewing the Georgetown house. Was he having a change of heart? Maybe the situation with Karen was making him question wanting more kids. The thought broke her heart.

"Do you not want this? Do you want to wait? Because I thought…"

"No. No! I want whatever you want, honey. I just want to make sure you know what we're getting ourselves into."

"Trust me I do. Sometimes I'll just stare at Charlotte, and I wonder what it will be like to have another baby. I say to myself 'I _don't know if I can love another baby as much as I love her_…'"

"You can," he assured.

"I know. It's just that I love her so much. So so much. And she's so perfect. And sometimes I worry that that a new baby will make her unhappy, and I hate that. But I know it's for the best, and I know she'll grow to love her brother or sister," she said with teary eyes. Realizing that she was going on a tangent, "I know what we're getting into," she finally whispered.

He kissed her forehead and then her lips. He brought her hand down to his burgeoning erection and grinned mischievously.

"This could be the time we make Noah James," he said.

Giggling, "You can't say that every time as a way to get me to have sex with you," she replied.

"Why? It works," he said as he lifted her up so that she could slide down on his shaft.

Baring down on his shoulders, her eyes never left his as she moved back and forth on his member. She made love to her husband with the hopes of conceiving their second child, but the realism to simply enjoy it if it didn't happen.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: A lot happening here. A lot. Karen may be going to Thailand! Fitz has a Fitz reaction to the news. I re-wrote their date night. It doesn't show all of it, but I needed to get Karen's story line to a transition point. I have read your reviews, and a lot of you feel like her story is taking over. I get that, but I think it would be irresponsible to write an abortion plot and not give her a full arch. That being said, we'll see more Fitz and Olivia doing Fitz and Olivia things in upcoming chapters. Thank you so much for your feedback. I really do appreciate it. It really shows me where I need to course correct with the plot. <strong>

**For those of you who are also reading Baby, It's Cold Outside, thank you so much for wonderful responses! Holy smokes, I was NOT expecting that. I should have an update around NYE-ish...maybe. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

As Olivia bent down to strap in Charlotte into her jogging stroller, she was spooked by the unexpected caress of her ass. She looked over her shoulder only to find her shirtless husband palming her bottom.

"Good morning," she greeted once Charlotte was secured in the stroller.

"Morning, Livvie," he said turning her around so that he could greet her properly, pulling her in for a morning kiss."Are my girls going on a run this morning?" he asked as he looked over her shoulder and saw Charlotte, who was wrapped snuggly in blankets, comfortably seated in her stroller.

"We are," she answered before pecking his lips.

"You sleep okay?" he asked taking in her features. For the first time in a while, she looked completely refreshed.

"Yeah. You?" she questioned, cupping his face in her hands. He too looked well rested.

"Good. Really good. It may have been better if I didn't have this little turkey sleeping on my face," he said as he moved to greet his daughter.

She snickered."I know. But baby wanted to sleep with daddy last night," she replied. Charlotte was so restless the night prior, and being on her father's chest seemed to be the only way to soothe her.

He got on his knees to kiss Charlotte in the stroller. "My butterball can sleep wherever she wants," he said adoringly. Charlotte giggled when Fitz smiled widely at her.

"You wanna run with us?" Olivia asked when Fitz stood up.

Going on a run was honestly the last thing he wanted to , but he wanted to spend time with his daughter and wife.

"Sure. Let me get changed."

* * *

><p>Now that Charlotte often joined Olivia, their runs were far less exhausting and strenuous. Their community was perfect for running. They often spotted other parents jogging with their children. Fitz and Olivia jogged at a perfect pace to talk and keep Charlotte comfortable, but still feel like they were getting a decent workout.<p>

"What are your plans for the day?" he asked Olivia as they turned a corner. Their jogging was turning into a brisk walk.

"All the kids will probably be home by the time we return. Mellie's dropping off Teddy, and Jerry will be with them. I was thinking of doing a bit of shopping with them today. I've got that photo shoot for my award spread next week, so I'd like something new. Teddy wants a new Lego set. He also needs some new dress shoes, too. Karen needs to start shopping for Thailand, so I was planning on us going to Dick's or someplace like that. Oh and Jerry sent me that email about wanting to look at jewelry, which works out perfectly because there's this little diamond bangle bracelet and earrings I want for Charlotte," she rattled off.

"Earrings for Charlotte?" he asked. Out all the things she said, that was giving him the most pause.

"I was going to talk to you about it. What do you think about piercing her ears?"

"It makes me a little nervous I'm not going to lie. Babe, she's seven months."

"I know, but I've done research, and I've talked to her doctor, and there's not a lot of risk at this age versus any other age. I think right now would be great because we can take care of her ears, but I don't know."

He sighed, "I feel like I'm going to have to defer this one to you. How old were you when you got your ears pierced?"

"I was her age," she explained. "I've always had them pierced. How old was Karen?"

"Well you know Mellie's sister did it without our permission. She was only eight."

"Why don't we just look at earrings and see what we think," she suggested.

"That's fine. But honey, why in the world does Jerry want to look at jewelry?"

"I have no idea. Did you read that e-mail? I think I forwarded it to you."

"I did, and it was non-descriptive. All it said was 'Liv, will you look at jewelry with me,'" he recalled with a laugh.

"Well we'll see I guess. Speaking of emails, have you heard from the Realtor?" she asked.

They were waiting to hear if the buyer accepted their latest bid. Fitz was unpleased with how high their latest offer reached, but Olivia had become so attached to the house he wanted to see it through.

"No," he replied.

"I haven't either. I was hoping maybe she caught up with you. She said that she would contact me by the end of the weekend, so hopefully I hear something soon. Baby, I really want this house." As she spoke, she knew there was no way he would understand how much or why she needed out of their current home. She was growing anxious waiting on the latest news.

"I know you do," he replied. He was trying his hardest to be as on board with their sudden house hunt as she was, and for the most part he was entirely. As much as he wanted to expand their family in a home that accommodated them, he still could not comprehend how a silly statement made in the heat of the moment was forcing such a drastic change for their family. Fighting with her was not something he was interested in, especially considering everything going on with the family, so he was opting not to push the issue.

Not wanting to think about the house anymore, he changed the subject. "So about shopping with Karen. I don't want any part of that," he said seriously.

She stopped dead in her tracks. "Fitz, I thought you were okay with all of this. We've talked to Melissa's parents. Everything is legit. She's done with her transfer paperwork. She should hear if she's been admitted to Georgetown soon. She only has four weeks in D.C., and I really want everything to go smoothly while she's here."

"Oh it's not that. I vowed to never have to shop with a teenage daughter ever again. I haven't done it since she turned sixteen, and I never want to do it again. It's an experience that can only be described inhumane and horrific."

Laughing, she started to walk again. "It's not that bad," she replied.

Fitz's expression said otherwise. Olivia was starting to push their pace. She loved running, and once she got in her grove there was no stopping her. She gave him a knowing look, wordless requesting that he take the stroller. When he nodded, she gave him the stroller, so that she could her run full speed.

"Thanks, baby," she said as she ran ahead of them. "See you at the house," she said over her shoulder.

* * *

><p>"Dad, how did you know that you wanted to marry mom?" Jerry asked as they sat in the kitchen with Charlotte eating a fruit salad Olivia prepared. After a nice run with his wife and daughter and a quick shower, he was not expecting be having this conversation.<p>

"I'm not sure. I just knew. It felt right at the time. Both your grandfathers were rather pushy about the matter, and at the time, all of my friends were getting married at that age, so I asked her," he answered.

"What about Liv? How did you know?"

"You remember the break-in she had at the bakery?" he asked.

"Yes."

"That night, she was hospitalized, and she had to have surgery, and I couldn't see her. No one would let me see her. I was going crazy not knowing how she was doing, if she was okay. I hated that feeling of uncertainty. When I finally got to see her, she was so hurt so badly, and all I wanted to do was take all the pain and hurt away. All I wanted was to keep her safe and loved. More than that, I wanted to keep her safe and to love her for a lifetime," he explained. He tried to read the look on his son's face. This was not the type of a conversation they typically had. "Why do you ask?"

"I think I want to ask Amber to marry me," Jerry said looking down at his fingers.

"Really?" Fitz questioned. Jerry always managed to surprise him. In some ways, he felt like he knew him the least compared to his other children. He was so much like him in some ways, and so different in others. He knew they had been dating his long term girlfriend, Amber for a while. They went to the same grade schools before going to the same university. He was friends with her parents, but this still came as a shock.

"Yeah. I love her, and we've been together since high school. I don't want to be with anyone else."

"Son, you're not even finished with school yet. You still have two and a half years left."

"Actually, it's only a year and a half."

When Fitz raised an eyebrow, Jerry explained, "I took AP classes in high school. I did summer school and winter sessions. I talked to my adviser last week, and I think I can graduate early"

"Are you sure about this?" Fitz asked.

"Yes."

"When do you plan to do this?"

"I'm not sure. I looked online, and apparently the ring is supposed to cost a three months salary. But I obviously don't have a salary. Maybe I should have worked at the bakery in high school like Karen," he joked. Fitz laughed and shook his head at the seemingly arbitrary salary rule for engagement rings.

"But I turn twenty one soon, and I'll have access to my trust fund…"

"That's not exactly the way we planned for you to use it," Fitz interjected.

"It's for my future," Jerry added.

"Right."

"And my future is with Amber," Jerry explained.

"Is she pregnant?" Fitz asked. He had to know, especially with everything going on with Karen.

"No!"

"Have you talked to her parents? Have you asked for her hand? I'm sure Jim would appreciate you talking to him about it," Fitz said. He would expect nothing less from someone who wanted to marry Karen or Charlotte. He also knew her father, Jim, very well. He was extremely conservative. He was a former client, and they often golfed together.

"No. But I will. It's just something I'm thinking about right now. I don't know that Mr. Davis will approve. He likes me but, he'll probably think I'm too young or that I don't have a good enough job. But I'll get one. I'll get two. I love her."

Fitz chuckled at how similar he was to Jerry, so driven by love. He hated the idea that his son would doubt himself even if he knew Jim's concerns could be valid.

"Jer, you've become such a smart, well-rounded young man. You've never given me any trouble. I can't say I saw this coming. I want you to really think about this before you make any major decisions. Marriage will be the biggest commitment of your life. It's serious. And it's hard. You don't do it just because you love someone."

"I know. It's more than that. We want a future together. She's going to be a teacher. I want to be an architect. We're going to do those things and get married or _be_ married. I'm going to get an on-campus job for now, and I'll use my trust fund, and in three or four months I'll probably ask her. She'll want a big wedding, so it will probably take a year to plan, so when it's all said and done, I'll be done or almost done with school."

"I can help you with a ring if you're serious about this. I would rather you find an internship that relates to your studies rather than work at an unrelated job. So focus on that for now, and take it a step at a time," Fitz suggested. He could not believe how fast his children were growing up. But then he looked to Charlotte and smiled realizing that they had quite a while before she would be springing marriage and babies on them. Charlotte lifted her tiny arms up, wanting to be picked up, a recent development that he adored. He took her out of her high chair and hugged her close. As he sat with his eldest, he was realizing how important it was to savor these moments with his youngest child.

* * *

><p>"What did you say?" Olivia asked as Fitz filled her in on his conversation with Jerry.<p>

She had showered after their run and changed into a jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt. She had just put Charlotte down for her early afternoon nap. When she returned to their bedroom with a basket of laundry, she found Fitz looking at diamond rings on his iPad sitting on top of the covers on their bed. When she inquired about his ring browsing, he shared Jerry's news.

"I more or less told him that I support him. I want him to get an internship or some job that relates to his field. He wants to use some of his trust fund to buy the ring. I told him I would help him out if he found an internship. I want him to focus on school for now, not trying to buy a ring."

When Olivia didn't respond, he asked, "What are your thoughts?"

"I think it's very sweet. I think it's also a little naive," Olivia replied as she moved around the room and stored their folded laundry.

"So you think he should propose?" Fitz asked still not understanding where she stood on the matter.

She made a face, but joined him on the bed and reluctantly shared her opinion. "Honestly, right now? I'm not so sure. I definitely think he should focus on school. Because once he's married, his priorities will have to change. I think he needs to get a job before even considering marriage as an option."

"He'll have a job, Liv. He's going to an amazing school. Hell, he can work for me if he needs to. I can put him on a few accounts. Have him start at the least 40K."

She shrugged. "Honey, you don't have to convince me. If that's what he wants, you know I support him too."

The more she thought about it, however, the more concerns popped in her head. She had to share them.

"I know you're friends with her father, but we don't really know Amber the way we knew Zach. Jerry's always with her family, and they rarely hang out over here. I mean, everyone acts like the guy needs _daddy_ _approval_, but what about the girls in these scenarios? Shouldn't we be getting to know Amber a little better?" she questioned. "She's going to be a part of our family."

"I think you're right, but they've also grown up together. Amber's vacationed with us in the past. She's a good girl, but it wouldn't hurt for them us to spend time with her. Maybe we can have her fly in with Jerry one weekend so that we can get to know her better. Maybe we can fly to them."

She nodded in agreement. She adored her husband, but recognized that he could let emotions cloud his judgment when it came his children. She was surprised by how level-headed he was taking the news.

"You're being very understanding about this," she pointed out.

"I told you that I was going to try to handle these things better. This is me handling it better."

She smiled and grabbed his hand. "Can I ask you something?" she asked a bit nervously.

"Shoot."

"Please don't take this the wrong way. Promise me you won't."

"Promise."

She moved to sit on his lap, straddling him in the process. "If this was Karen, if she came to you saying that she wanted to marry Zach, would you be this cool with it?"

He took a minute to think about it. He wasn't sure. Karen and Jerry were unlike in many ways. His expectations were different for both of them. Karen was naturally smart and driven whereas Jerry excelled at school, but had to work much harder. He wasn't as ambitious and was far more laid back. "I don't know. I'd like to think so. Sweetheart, this is _love_ we're talking about. He _really_ loves her. If Karen was really in love, and the guy wasn't an idiot, I would support her, too," he answered.

"I was just asking. It's important that we don't have any double standards for her. As long as everyone ones happy, I'm happy, but I'd prefer not to financially support two married twentysomethings in the process. So as long as Jerry can support two people, then by all means..."

"I think it's really sweet actually. It reminded me why I fell in love with you. Why I wanted to marry you."

"Yeah? And why was that?" she asked as she threw her arms over his shoulders. She already knew the answer, but it never hurt for her to hear it again.

"Because I honestly couldn't picture my life without you. Because when I pictured happily ever after, even when I was Jerry's age, I pictured it the way you've given it to me, with lots of support, and love and companionship, and teamwork, and really great sex…"

She poked his chest and laughed. She kissed his lips before resting her forehead on his forehead.

"_Really_ _great_ might be a bit of an overstatement, babe."

His mouth dropped open, feigning hurt.

"I'd say mediocre at best," she teased.

Feeling the sudden urge to prove her wrong, he flipped them over on the bed and pulled her jeans and panties off of her legs at the same time. He helped her lift her shirt over her head before quickly reaching behind her to help her out of her bra. She laughed at his fury to remove her clothes as if he _really_ needed to prove a point. Just as rapidly, he removed all of his clothes, tripping over his feet in the process. When he rested on top of her, she wrapped her legs around his waist, crossing them at her ankles. She wrapped her arms around his broad back, holding him in a tight embrace. He ran his hands up and down her sides. He was satisfied just being skin to skin with her. As much as she wanted him to make a move, she was enjoying their warm embrace. She kissed his nose and patiently waited for him to enter her.

He grabbed her bottom lip with his teeth and tugged on it before fully kissing her. He pulled his lips away only to nuzzle his head in her neck. She moved her hands to caress the back of his neck and massage his scalp. There was almost nothing greater than being in the love of her life's arms.

"Fitz," she whined wanting to be fully connected to him.

"What, Livvie?" he asked looking for what she wanted in her expression.

"I need you," she said after kissing him reaching to caress his length.

He returned to the place on her neck, placing wet kisses all over. Squeezing her tight, "Get on your knees, baby," he whispered in her ear. She turned around and position herself on her hands and knees as Fitz stroked his length. Fitz loved the way motherhood changed her body, filling her out in places he adored the most. He palmed her ass and then teased her entrance, allowing her sodden desire to cover him. He knew it would only be a matter of seconds before she turned her head with a scrunched face and whined his name, begging him to enter her. And like clockwork, she looked over her shoulder with a pained expression. "Baby, please," she whispered.

He smiled and inched his way inside of her. "Oh..Oooh," she cried as he filled her. Gripping her waist, he thrust into her, as she clutched her throw pillows.

He leaned into her frame and placed kisses up and down her spine, the way he knew she liked it. She moaned loudly completely forgetting that their home wasn't empty.

"That feel good?" he groaned already knowing the answer.

She moaned and nodded, unable to find the words. He roughly moved against her until she couldn't steady herself anymore. With her ass in the air, she rested her upper half on the bed with her head buried in a pillow. He placed his hand on her neck to keep her place as he continued to pound into her.

"Fitz," she called when she felt her peak approaching.

"I know you're close," he said as he reached to stroke her most sensitive pleasure point. She didn't want to find release in this position, so scooted further up the bed and moved away from him.

"Livvie," he groaned in frustration when he slipped out of her. She laid on her back and pulled him to rest on top of her with her legs bent at his sides. She helped him ease inside of her, and they began to move against each other once more.

She cupped his face and smoothed his hair. She tried to keep eye contact as he pushed into her at a much slower pace. His scrunched face was full of concentration. She could barely see his eyes.

Trying to get his attention, "Hi," she whispered.

He grunted in response and gave her a sloppy kiss.

"I love it like this," she said softly when he pulled away from her lips. "Baby, you feel so perfect," she whispered after burying her head in his neck. "I've thought about this all morning," she admitted quietly in his ear.

He kissed her again to mute her, knowing that her voice could end their union prematurely. She moaned into their heated lip-lock and picked up the pace underneath him. With a few combined lazy thrusts and grinds, she found release, and he joined her moments later with their noises filling the room. Loving their connection, she wrapped her legs around his waist again, positioning them the way they started. She refused to let him go. She wiped sweat off his forehead before kissing it.

"That was _really_ _great_," she said as she tried to catch her breath.

"Not mediocre?" he breathlessly asked sliding his hands up and down her sides.

She kissed him softly and rubbed his shoulders. "Not mediocre at all," she responded.

* * *

><p>After freshening up and changing into a navy blue, loose fitting tunic dress and brown, flat boots, Olivia prepared a late lunch for the family before their shopping trip. With all of their children in the house, it felt complete. Each of them took their spot at the kitchen table. Even Charlotte sat at her high chair with her siblings.<p>

In a black, cashmere cable-knit sweater and jeans, Fitz crept up behind her as she took a moment to enjoy the scene in front of her, their children laughing and talking while eating grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. He circled his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck before whispering, "They're beautiful." She nodded in agreement as she listened to their conversation.

While feeding Charlotte carrots and peas, Karen placed her cell phone on her feeding table, which Charlotte managed to grab and ease in her mouth.

"Ew, Char," Teddy yelled. "You can't put that in your mouth," he said while laughing. Everything Charlotte did was funny to him.

"Why does she put everything in her mouth?" he asked the table deeply confused by her actions.

"She's just trying to figure out what it is, bud," Jerry explained.

"Yeah. She's trying to explore," Karen added. "She doesn't know what it is."

"It's a cell phone, Charlotte!" Teddy said, through boisterous laughter.

"She doesn't know what a lot of stuff is Teddy, which is why you have to help her. You have to explain stuff to her and make sure she doesn't do anything that could hurt her. Because right now, she doesn't know better."

"She's silly. Babies are silly!" he exclaimed as he giggled at his sister.

"You were silly, too," Karen said. "Once you tried to drink my nail polish."

"No I didn't! That stuff stinks," Teddy said, laughing even harder.

"You did, too. Because you didn't know what it was. You could have gotten really hurt if I wasn't there to stop you."

"And that's what you have to do for Charlotte, Ted. You have to make sure she doesn't do stuff like that," Jerry said. "That's why you have to pick up your Legos. What if Charlotte tried to eat one of your Legos?" Jerry asked.

Teddy gasped. "That would be bad!"

"Exactly," Karen agreed.

"I won't let her eat Legos or cell phones," Teddy said proudly. "Or nail polish, yuck," he said taking a bite of his grilled cheese.

Olivia turned around in Fitz's arms. "We're so lucky," she said to him with a huge smile on her face.

"Yes we are," Fitz replied. He leaned closer to capture her lips not caring that they were putting on a show in front of the kids. He could never keep his hands away from her for too long.

Karen had seen enough of their PDA to last a lifetime. "Enough of that. Your bedroom is upstairs," she yelled, throwing her grilled cheese crust at them.

"Hey!" Olivia yelled.

Teddy doubled over with laughter before throwing his crust at them, too. Not wanting to be left out, Jerry threw his crust. Charlotte wasn't sure what was going on. She looked around the room, squirmed in her high chair and squealed at the commotion.

"You guys are cleaning this mess up!" Fitz yelled through laughter as he took a piece of bread out of Olivia's hair. They smiled, completely blissful, realizing how much love was in the room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Is this chapter completely inconsequential to the story? Yes. But I said I would write love, drama and angst, so here we are lol. This chapter is more of a transitional chapter. There are a few loose ends with Karen I will address. Like Mellie's reaction to the news of her trip and her relationship with her college friends. I also wanted to tie in Jerry to the story. He's wants to propose to his long time girlfriend. You might notice that as the situation with Karen settles, Fitz and Olivia return to their normal selves. Next chapter, I will pick up with their shopping trip and the situation with the house. There may or may not be a character from The Bakery who we haven't seen in this story make an appearance. ;) Let me know what you think! <strong>


	14. Chapter 14

Shopping with four children proved to be more exhausting than Olivia anticipated. Despite his resistance to try on shoes, they bought new loafers for Teddy. Karen had enough running shorts, tank tops sports bras, and sun dresses to last her more than her twelve week trip would allow. Olivia hated the idea that she would be ill prepared for her trip in any way, so she went overboard. Olivia explained ring designs and cuts to Jerry while Fitz bought Legos for Teddy. She also found a few casual pieces to wear for her photoshoot, and now she was predictably buying new dresses for Charlotte while Fitz found a changing room to change her diaper.

She perused the racks for dresses that Charlotte could grow into within the coming months. She picked up a tulle, print dress with umbrellas, a dress that she could picture Charlotte wearing with her crocheted booties that were fashioned as rainboots with handles. As she browsed the racks, she heard her name being called.

"Liv," she heard on the other side of the store.

She looked in the direction of the voice, but didn't see anyone. She went back to browsing.

"Olivia," she heard again. This time she could make out the baritone voice and see the person calling her. Her heart pounded in her chest as her ex-husband approached her. She hadn't seen him in at least a year, which seemed crazy considering how small D.C. was. They ran in the same circles, and they still shared mutual friends. She heard he moved to New York, which she figured was an explanation for never seeing him. After they sold their house, she had no ties to him at all. Because of her connection to Lorraine, she still spoke to Ben, but not nearly as much as she used to. She sent him presents on every holiday and birthday and made sure to call him on occasion, but the conversation never steered toward Edison. Now, they were standing feet away from each other, and she was wholly unprepared for their encounter.

"How are you?" he asked with a huge smile on his face.

"I'm good. How are you?" she asked, trying to seem interested and comfortable.

"Great. Just doing a little shopping for Stella," he explained as if she was curious. He held up several dresses. When Olivia didn't say anything, he continued, "My daughter Stella," he clarified.

"Right."

Edison took in her appearance. Even in a tunic dress, she looked shapely. Her hair was in a low pony tail and her make-up was minimal. She still had the ability to take his breath away, even when she wasn't trying.

She too gave him a once over. He was overdressed for a trip to a shopping center, but he looked very much like his old stuff. Her heart almost stopped beating when she noticed a wedding band on his finger. She could not make sense of the sight. _Who did he marry? Who would marry him? _She heard of no such news.

"You look great," he complimented.

"Thanks."

"I heard you opened up a new bakery on Westfield," he said.

"I did."

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Good. It's great." She wasn't trying to be short; she was just so surprised to see him. Trying to be polite, she said, "And I heard you were in New York now."

"I am. I finally accepted that promotion. But I'm still back and forth for Stella."

"That's great," she said at the exact moment that Fitz returned holding Charlotte.

With his bouncing baby girl in his arms, Fitz didn't notice Edison at all. "Baby, you should have seen the mess this little stinker made," he said loudly as he approached his wife. Now fed and changed, Charlotte was happy and giggling.

She turned to look at Fitz and then back at Edison, alerting Fitz of her ex's presence.

"Hey, man. How's it going?" Edison greeted as if they had been friends for years, as if Fitz didn't choke him on a sidewalk, as if exchanging niceties was remotely appropriate.

"Hello," Fitz said equally surprised to not only see Edison, but to find him conversing with his wife. This was officially awkward. Edison looked down at Olivia's hand and noticed her 2 carat diamond ring for the first time. He knew that she was still with Fitz. He heard they were married, but he was still taken aback seeing them together.

Charlotte's incessant babbles took center stage. She had no concept of inside voices yet.

"Wow! Liv, is this…"

"This is my daughter, our daughter, Charlotte" she said proudly, looking to her blabbering baby girl. She looked even cuter than normal, which was saying a lot, in a lace, cream dress with a blue cardigan. Before they left, Fitz placed a matching blue headband in her hair.

Edison didn't know what to say. It was jarring seeing someone he once loved deeply beaming, and looking more beautiful than ever with a gorgeous infant. It was what he once wanted so badly with her.

Feeling the awkward tension in the room, Olivia wanted to get out of the store. "It was good seeing you. Take care of yourself," she said as she grabbed Fitz's hand led them to the cash register.

As they stood at the register, Olivia pulled out her wallet, looking unusually flushed.

"You okay, Livvie?" he asked watching her fumble for her credit card. He rubbed her back to ease her visibly shaken nerves.

She smiled and nodded her head. She quickly paid for Charlotte's clothing and led them out of the store.

The rest of their shopping trip proved to be successful with everyone coming home with what they needed and wanted. Earrings for Charlotte were put on the backburner, with neither Fitz nor Olivia making a decision on piercings. With four siblings in an SUV, the car ride back home was loud. But Olivia was in her on world. She quietly fiddled on her phone while Fitz drove them home.

Seeing Edison stirred something unexpected inside of her. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like to see him again. In her head, she expected it to go differently. She thought that she would boast about how amazing her life had become, so that he would know that he didn't break her, so that he could realize that her life was, in fact better, without him. She thought that it would give her satisfaction for him to see how far she'd come. She assumed that it would feel amazing when he found out that she had a baby, something that was so difficult to do with him. She would never forget the day she found out about his love child, and he chastised her for not being able to conceive a child. It cut her to the core. She thought the day he could see with his own eyes the child she created out of nothing but love and passion would bring her some sort of retribution, but it didn't. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to get Charlotte away from him. To shield her from him. All it did was remind her of all the hurt he caused her. It reminded her of how foolish she felt for even marrying him in the first place.

And now he was remarried. In her mind, he deserved it the least. He could literally win worst husband award, and now he was someone else's spouse. It was truly unbelievable. She didn't even care who the woman was. She pitied her. And at the same time, she felt guilty that a small part of her wanted the worst for him. A part of her thought it was unfair that he found someone new. This was not karma. He was not reaping what he sowed. She shook her head as thoughts swirled through her mind. _What does it say about me that I hoped he wouldn't be happy without me? _She contemplated over and over again.

She reminded herself of how unbelievably happy she was with Fitz. Her life was near perfect with him by her side. She loved him more than she or he could possibly comprehend, but that didn't erase old hurt, that didn't stop how much it affected her to be reminded of the years of pain Edison caused. She felt betrayed by her emotions for bringing out feelings other than apathy for Edison to the forefront.

Fitz looked over at her and could tell that she was looking at her email. When she audibly gasped, he rested his hand on her knee over the console.

"What?" he asked.

She looked at him and then back at her phone. She had two unexpected emails. The first was from Edison with the subject line, "Good seeing you, stranger." She deleted it before she even gave it any more thought. In the car ride alone, she spent more time thinking about Edison than she wanted to, so there was no way she was reading any of his correspondence.

But the second email caught her attention. It was from their real estate agent. She read and reread the email, feeling doubly punched in the gut.

"What is it, babe?" he asked as she stared intently at her phone.

"Nothing," she said quietly as she looked up. They were finally home, and she was relieved to be there. She hopped out of the car and got Charlotte out of her car seat needing to feel something good and pure, something that only her child could give her.

* * *

><p>Fitz wasn't sure why Olivia was acting so strange, but she hadn't been herself since seeing Edison. He didn't know what to make of her change in attitude. She went from happy and cheerful to reserved and disconnected from the family. He suggested ordering pizza for the bunch to take the dinner load off of them. "That's fine," she managed to agree in a whisper soft tone. <em>Maybe she was just having a moment<em>. _Maybe she just needed some space_, he told himself. He could understand that, so he didn't take it personally when she declined to watch a movie with the family. "I think Transformers will be too loud for Char," she explained before heading upstairs with Charlotte to her nursery. But when he looked in her sad eyes, he couldn't help but think about the worst possible reasons for her sudden grief.

Olivia spent the duration of the night alone with Charlotte in her nursery while Fitz watched a movie with the older children. Charlotte gave her so much solace. Everything about her, even being in her room was serene. She played with her on the floor of the nursery crawling around with her, helping her stand, giving kisses and tickling her until she was completely worn out. When she was ready for bed, she changed her into the coverall pajamas her mother purchased for her. She rocked her and read to her until she fell asleep. Not wanting to put her in her crib, she let Charlotte rest on her chest. When she knew Charlotte was asleep, she pulled out her cell phone. She went to her email and read her Realtor's message.

"_Olivia,_

_Unfortunately, the seller declined your offer of 4.2 million. I know it's crazy. I didn't expect the bidding to get that high. I thought it would be much lower. However, the buyer went with the lower offer. The other buyer and seller are from the same small town in North Dakota (Random!), and the seller felt some link to the buyer. So unfortunately they passed on our bid. But we will find something perfect for your family. Maybe we can extend our search to the greater DMV area. I'll call you on Monday! Have a good weekend." _

Reading this email in the car, and rereading now, mad her so angry, frustrated, and oddly hurt. She wanted that house. In her mind, it was hers. She was already making changes to it. Now, they would have to start from square one. Finding a home large enough with the features they wanted was difficult. There was no telling how long this would set them back. She did not want to live in this house anymore. She couldn't. And there was no way to explain to Fitz how much his words hurt her without rehashing more old hurt, pain she thought had been buried for decades. This day was turning into a minefield of emotional baggage that she didn't have the time or the patience to deal with.

* * *

><p>Somehow Olivia managed to spend almost three hours alone in Charlotte's nursery. When she returned to her bedroom, she found Fitz resting on top of the comforter in sweatpants and a t-shirt reading on his iPad.<p>

"She's sleeping if you want to kiss her good night," Olivia said as she distractedly moved around the room changing into pajamas.

"Okay," he said, looking up hoping to catch her gaze. When she finally looked up from digging around her drawers, she was surprised to find him staring at her.

She gave him a small smile before moving to her side of the bed.

"Do you have feelings for him?" Fitz asked quietly in a broken voice.

She stopped dead in her tracks, his words halting everything, even her thoughts. Stunned by his question, she took a moment gather her bearings. She could have cried on the spot looking at his distressed face.

"How…How could you ask me that?" she replied in an equally shaken, quiet voice. She clutched her chest and tried her best to steady her heart beat.

He looked down at his fingers, before responding, "I don't know. You've just been acting weird since seeing him today. I had to ask. I haven't seen you this solemn, this reserved since you were on crutches after the break-in. Is it because of him? Do you still…" he stopped himself unable to finish.

"Fitz, we have a family. We have a child. You really think I have feelings for Edison after all this?" she asked with tears fully forming in her eyes.

He shrugged helplessly. "What am I supposed to think, Liv? You were fine, perfectly happy all day long. And then you see your ex, and you need time alone. You wouldn't talk to me in the car. I don't know what else to think."

"Not that!" she said letting her tears spill over. She rubbed her forehead trying to make sense of his words, trying to process that her husband was doubting her love for him. This could not be real. She knew she owed him an explanation, but she was too bewildered by his assumptions to give him one.

"I don't have feelings for Edison. I haven't had those kinds of feelings for him in years," she said adamantly. "But seeing him today just reminded me of what an awful place I was in being married to him. I honestly thought I was happy, and in retrospect, it was crazy to think that. He hurt me, and hurt me more, and manipulated me, stole from me, and made me feel like shit. And I thought I would see him for the first time, and have my new, beautiful, amazing family, and feel vindicated in some way. But I didn't. I was just reminded of how much he hurt me. And I've forgiven him, but I guess I'll never forget that hurt. And that feels a little embarrassing because what little hurt I feel over him pales in comparison to the love I feel for you. And this isn't something I feel like I should even have to share. I feel like whatever I felt in the store, in the car, should just be one of those things, those thoughts, those emotions that you keep to yourself. But then you ask me if I still have feelings for him. I can't believe we're having this conversation."

He was practically in tears as he listened to her. The thought of her loving anyone else devastated him. "I needed to know. Liv, if I acted the way you did right after seeing an ex you would have questions, too," he said in a straightforward way. He wasn't trying to accuse her of anything. He was genuinely confused by her aloof state.

"You're making me feel like I haven't done enough to show you how much I love you. The fact that you have doubts about that makes me…"

"I don't have a doubt that you love me. But that doesn't mean that there aren't lingering feelings for your ex."

"Fitz, I just want to make it perfectly clear once and for all. I don't love Edison. I have never loved him the way I love you. Ever. You are the reason that I was able to bounce back from that situation and still have some semblance of myself. You are the reason that I wasn't completely broken after that ordeal. You are," she said desperately.

She threw her hands up and moved to leave the room. She needed more space. Before she could get far, he quickly moved to her and brought her to the bed. He took a seat at the edge of it and pulled her to straddle him. She rested her head on his shoulder and quietly cried. She felt terrible that her actions, however unintentional, would give him any doubts. She was even more emotional thinking of the more pressing reason she was in such a solemn mood, which was their house.

"Livvie, I didn't mean to upset you," he whispered running her hands through her hair and rubbing her back.

He pulled her head to look at him. "You were just so withdrawn from the family tonight, and I thought Edison was the reason," he tried to explain again.

She looked up trying to hold back new tears from forming. "Edison was a very small portion. And by very small, I mean minuscule. Honestly, if I never saw or heard from him again, I would be satisfied. But he sent me an email, which I didn't even read while we were in the car. And on top of that, I also got an email from our realtor."

"What she'd say?" he asked, surprised by the news.

"We didn't get the house," she said with her voice full of disappointment.

"Were we outbid again? They didn't give us a chance for a counteroffer."

"They sold to the other buyer because of an emotional connection. The seller is from the same hometown as the new buyer," she said completely frustrated.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"We were in the car with the kids. I couldn't tell you then. And I needed to, I don't know, think of other alternatives to present to you. I really wanted that house, Fitz. I saw us in that home. I was basically decorating the place. I just…"

"You needed some time to mourn the house," he finished for her with a smile, knowing his wife more than he gave himself credit.

"I guess so. I just had a lot on my mind. But please don't ever question my love for you. Fitz, you are everything to me. Everything."

"I was just having a moment," he explained. "I let my imagination get the best of me," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"You have nothing to worry about when it comes to you and me. Nothing. I'm here. I'll always be here," she said seriously.

She smiled for the first time since being with Charlotte. "Well, maybe not _here_ because hopefully we'll have a new house. I need a new house, babe, like yesterday."

He looked at her seriously, trying to read her expression. He could not believe that the news about the house caused her mood to shift so dramatically. "Liv, please help me understand. Why does this matter to you so much? Baby, we will find another house."

"It just does," she said shrugging.

"Okay. If you say you've forgiven me, if you say that you that you're not mad, why are you pushing us this hard to move?"

"I want a new house. Something that belongs to us both. I have literally said that at minimum a hundred times."

"I understand that, but for you to be this upset about the house. I get it, but I don't at the same time. This isn't your first home. You know how these things go. Maybe it's a good thing. It was barely worth 4.2 million dollars."

She gave him a look, one of bewilderment and annoyance. "Then why would you agree to buy it if you didn't think it wasn't worth the money?" she questioned.

"Because you wanted it," he stated as a matter of fact, as if it should have been obvious to her.

"Fitz…"

"What? It's the truth. Why else would I agree to a multimillion dollar home that we don't need right now. You wanted it. I wanted to make you happy. Don't get me wrong. I loved the idea of moving our growing family in a space that works for us. But ultimately, you wanted it, so I didn't push the issue. It seemed very important to you for reasons I'm still struggling to understand."

She took a moment to process his words. She sighed realizing that she really did owe him an explanation, but she knew it would be hard to muster out when she was still working it out in her head.

"You know when you said that thing to me. That it was your house. It made me feel like I didn't have a place that was," she began. She sighed again trying to find the right words. "It made me feel small. My father…" she started and then drifted off.

"Tell me," he urged.

She groaned and looked to the ceiling before looking back at him. She hated where this was headed. She moved out of his lap, and sat beside him with her legs crossed on the bed. "My father used to say that to me all the time. To my mother, too. If he didn't like what I was doing, if he disapproved of anything I did, he'd yell _'This is my house. If you don't like it, live somewhere else!'_ And course I never took it seriously until one day, he actually meant it. I got a C+ on some math exam, and I got caught trying a cigarette with a girl in my building a few days later. As you can imagine, knowing Eli, he came down on me hard. I think if I hadn't gotten the C or if I had just been caught with the cigarette, he may have taken it better. But the two combined was wholly unacceptable. It was like all he could see was me going down some horrid path. Mind you, I was all of twelve, thirteen. But he sat me down and he said _'Olivia Carolyn Pope, this is my house. I make the rules. We do not tolerate Cs in this home. If you want to bring a C home, you can live somewhere else. Work harder! Do better! Stop being so lazy! You watch too much TV, and you listen to too much music. You're reading too many books that aren't school related. You are better than average. Or maybe you're not. Maybe you'll amount to nothing but an average, dull, middling person._ And I started crying. I was such a mess. I was so shocked because I honestly didn't think he gave a shit about me until I brought home that C. I yelled back, _I tried, dad. It was a hard test. I will never make a C again_. And he was like, '_You're damn right you won't. You're not going to that second-rate school anymore._' And I started crying even harder, but he didn't care. He was true to his word because less than a week later I was enrolled in a boarding school. And he was right. He was always right because there was no room for anything other than his word in _his home_. So since I didn't obey his rules in _his_ _home_, he sent me somewhere else to live. And of course, I know that it was probably for the best in terms of the quality of my education. And I'm sure he didn't mean it, the way I took it. Or maybe he did. I don't know."

Fitz didn't know what to say. He was trying to make sense of what she just shared and the way she internalized an event from her past. Fitz could count on one hand how many anecdotes Olivia shared about her childhood. He accepted the fact that she never talked about it and she didn't like to discuss it. He knew that her childhood was lonely, which was why she was adamant about giving Charlotte siblings close to her age. He knew her parents were tough on her, but he didn't know the extent. He hated that in a fleeting moment his words could bring back painful memories for her, that they could hurt her in any way.

"I'm sorry, Livvie," he said quietly.

"It's not your fault," she replied with a shrug.

He kissed her forehead and looked in her eyes.

"You will never be made to feel like that with me. I wish I had never said that."

"It's okay. You know it's funny because I've said that exact same thing or similar phrases, phrases that irritated me so much, that in some ways I've come to resent, to Edison as if they held some power. As if telling him, "Get out of my house," would somehow make me feel better whenever he fucked up. To feel like I had some of the power he took in our relationship, the same kind of power my father used over me and my mom. I didn't realize how much those words affected me until you said them to me. There was something about hearing them from the man I love that struck a chord. I don't know. It's silly…"

"It's not silly. It's how you feel. And I'm really sorry for bringing up something painful for you, Livvie." Starting to realize why she was so pushy on buying a new home, he tried to think of solutions.

"Maybe we could house hunt tomorrow," he said.

"That would be nice."

"I was thinking, I don't know if you'll go for this, but I was thinking maybe we could build our own home," he suggested with apprehension.

He could see her wheels turning as she contemplated his suggestion. When she didn't say anything, he continued. "The only thing is that in order for this to make financial sense and work time wise and structurally is to maybe look for land in Maryland or Virginia."

She frowned not loving that idea.

"I know you wanted something move-in ready, and something that we could move into soon."

Still thinking, she kept quiet trying to mull over their options.

"Or a fixer-upper. We could find an older home, and make it perfect for us. Liv, I know you like the idea of having a home that is ours. What about a home that was authentic to us with features that we want and love, that makes sense for our family? We could fix up a home, and make it our custom, forever home. We could even help with the renovations. The kids could help. It could be something that's entirely ours." he suggested.

She beamed, loving that idea. "I think that's actually perfect. That's a great idea. We could probably stay in D.C. if we did that."

"Yeah. And there are lots of great old homes here. But sweetheart, it might take us a few months to find the right house. And depending on what shape it's in it may take a several weeks to finish renovations."

"That's fine. I'm okay with that."

"You are?" he asked, completely surprised.

"I like the idea of a custom, forever home with you," she said picking his hand and intertwining their fingers.

"I'll call contractors on Monday," he said.

"And I'll call the Realtor."

"So we're doing this?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she replied. He moved a little closer to her and leaned in to kiss her forehead. He didn't know how his wife continued to surprise him, but she did. Whether it was discovering something new about her childhood or her comprising on something that she normally wouldn't have, life with her was a surprise, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter was tough to write for a number of reasons. One, I wanted to get Olivia's emotions right. They are complicated and, in the moment, she's still working through them (with Edison and her father). Two, I wanted to show Fitz doubting what they have together. I think that doubt is true and present within the world of the show, and I wanted it to happen here at some point. But I also wanted Olivia to profess her love for him in his moment of doubt because we don't see that on the show. I wanted this to be a stand alone chapter without Karen and Mellie. Next chapter, I will touch on that. They decide on a fixer-upper, which will present a new set of challenges for them. Let me know what you think! Thoughts on the encounter with Edison. I wanted to play with the idea of him moving on and how that would affect Olivia. The easy route would have been to let her see him, and be fine and feel some sort of retribution, but that seemed too easy and uninteresting. Thoughts on Olivia's feelings? Thoughts on her reasons for pushing for a house and them buying a fixer-upper! Let me know! Thanks for reading and reviewing! <strong>


	15. Chapter 15

Olivia did not realize how exhausting photo shoots could be until she found herself posing and smiling for a two hour shoot accompanied by an hour long interview for her feature in Entrepreneur monthly. She tried not to complain because the exposure from winning Small Business Owner of the Year was truly an honor. More than anything, she would have love to be relaxing with her husband, but he was in Atlanta for the next few days after spending almost a week there already. After putting Charlotte to bed, instead of resting by her husband's side as he read on his tablet in their king sized bed, she lounged alone on her couch catching up on their DVR. When the television wasn't enough company, she opted to call her husband. She checked the time and realized that it was later than she expected. She was surprised she hadn't heard from him already. She picked up the phone to see what he was up to.

"Hi. I was just thinking about you," he answered almost immediately.

"Hi, honey. What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm working unfortunately."

"Still? You're not at the office are you?"

"No. I'm home. But since I haven't been here in a couple of weeks, I'm a little behind on everything."

"When do you think you'll be able to come home _home_?" she asked. It was the end of the week, and he was normally slated to return before the weekend, but she could tell from his work load it would probably be an extended trip.

"I honestly don't know, Liv. I was hoping I could come back and spend time with you and the kids this weekend, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to fly back for two or three days only to turn around and come back. I should probably use the weekend to catch up."

She sighed in response. "Okay. Well we miss you terribly. I miss you."

"And I miss you, too. How was your shoot?"

"It was really good. Kind of tiring. I don't know how famous people do it," she said with a laugh. "But they took a few shots with me, Abby and Quinn, which I really appreciated because I honestly couldn't do it without them."

"That's great, sweetheart."

"Did you get those pictures I sent you?"

"The ones of Charlotte with flour on her face and icing in her hair holding a spatula? I did. She is so precious, Liv. I can barely take it."

Olivia smiled thinking back to Charlotte's impromptu trip with Shirley to the bakery earlier that day. She wasn't sure how Charlotte managed to get so messy when they were seemingly keeping an eye on her, but she was adorable nonetheless.

"No not those. The houses."

"Oh! Yes."

"What do you think?"

"I think the six bedrooms in Kent may be the one. It was the acreage, not a lot, but enough so that the kids can have a backyard. It's a reasonable price considering the work that needs to be done. I don't think the work will be, too, bad. It's beautiful. It's only ten minutes away from both the Westfield shop. I love it."

"I love it too. For 2 mill in that area, it's a steal. I honestly love them all, especially the one in Spring Valley. I was surprised by how much I loved the condo in Logan Circle, but I think it's the one in Kent. Do you think it's too much house? Six bedrooms is a lot."

"We have four children to accommodate right now with the possibility of more."

"I know, but we're not always going to have children living with us, honey. In a few years, Jerry and Karen will have their own homes. We're getting Karen an apartment close to school when she returns. There's going to be a point when they're only visiting us on holidays. I mean do we really want to retire in a home that big, with that much up-keep. We're going to be here for the long haul."

"I hear you, but I want them to always feel like they have a place in our home."

"I want that too don't get me wrong. It's just that if we have two more babies like we plan, one of the older kids is going to have to give up a room or the younger kids will have to share anyway."

"I think the younger kids will just have to share. Or we can look for seven bedrooms. We could repurprose the basement."

"Honey, no. Seven bedrooms? That's too much. I don't want that. I guess we can just cross the bedroom bridge when we get to it."

"What did you think about the pool?" he asked.

"I like it in theory, but it really scares me when I think about Charlotte playing in the backyard once she learns to walk."

"We could get a pool fence."

"We could, but I hate the way those look. It's such an eyesore."

"We could get one of those removable fences, babe. We can keep it up when the pool is open in the summer. Or we could keep it up whenever Charlotte plays outside and take it down when she's not. I don't think they're that hard to put up or down."

Groaning, "I guess. I would rather fill it to be honest. Think about how much yard that would give us."

"But you love swimming," he countered.

"I know, but I would love not having to worry about Charlotte playing in the yard even more."

"Charlotte's not going to be too small for a pool forever."

Olivia groaned again in response.

"I just love the idea of night swims and night caps with you. Seeing you in your…What they are called? Those band things…"

"Bandeaus, babe," she said with a smile.

"Yes! Your blue bandeau. Mhmm. You look amazing in that," he said reminiscing of their vacations pre-Charlotte. "I can just see us with glasses of wine on warm nights or maybe margaritas when we have taco night, and the two of us alone, relaxing in our pool."

The idea was now growing on her. "If we find the right baby fence, then we can keep it," she conceded. "It seems like we're basically on the same page. I'll send you a few more pictures," she said as she went to her email from her laptop. She sent him a few more home pictures and one surprise photograph, a risqué picture of herself that she knew he would appreciate.

"I'm going to head up to bed."

"Okay. Let's finish this tomorrow. Love you, beautiful."

"I love you, too."

Olivia hung up the phone and went upstairs knowing that if he checked his email, as she suspected he would, he would be contacting her again when he saw a certain picture. As soon as she finished her nightly routine and climbed in their bed, her phone chimed. She had a message from Fitz.

_Fitz: Are you trying to kill me? Yes or no? _

**Olivia: I thought you would like that.**

_Fitz: I love that. I want that._

**Olivia: Soon, baby. Sleep tight! **

She smiled knowing that it would be much sooner than he anticipated. Olivia planned to surprise him in Atlanta with Jerry, his girlfriend Amber, Teddy and Charlotte. Karen was in New York packing up her dorm and saying goodbye to her friends, so she couldn't come. She promised that she would be available to FaceTime whenever Olivia called. Olivia was beyond excited thinking about their trip. She was only a half a work day and a basketball game away from reuniting with her husband.

* * *

><p>Olivia was always surprised by how lively an afternoon basketball game filled with 8-year-olds could be. She was completely enthralled as she watched her stepson and his teammates' community basketball league try to dominate an opponent.<p>

"Go, Teddy!" Olivia yelled as she watched her stepson run down the court, dribbling in a skillful way that she had never seen before. When he made a two-point basket at the exact second the buzzer sounded for half time, she jumped from her seat. Teddy's shot tied the game. She was so proud, and she hated that her husband was missing this moment.

Hearing Charlotte coo and gurgle in her carrier made her realize that she needed to be more careful. She was so lost in the moment, she quickly forgot that Charlotte was attached to her. She gave her daughter a kiss on her head wanting to soothe her from her sudden movement. "I'm sorry, baby," she said as she kissed her head again.

When Olivia made her way down the bleachers to grab a drink, she made eye contact with Teddy as he was leaving the court with his teammates to return to the locker-room.

Breaking away from his teammates, he ran over to Olivia excitedly. "Liv! Did you see it?! Did you see it?!" he asked.

"I did, buddy. You did so good," she said as she embraced him. She kissed the top of his head. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart."

"Did Charlotte see? Did Charlotte see?"

"She saw. She's proud too. She cooed extra loud for you," Olivia added with a smile.

"Where's daddy?" he asked as he looked around the gym.

"Bud, his working out of town this week."

Teddy looked completely disappointed. "Again! He keeps missing my games," Teddy said with frustration. Olivia could feel her stomach drop. She felt so terrible and guilty knowing that their busy schedules were keeping them from being as attentive to Teddy. There was really no excuse for it. She knew they had to do better.

"He wants to be here, Teddy. He really wanted to come. But remember, we're flying out to see him as soon as this game is done. And he'll make it up to you I promise."

"Okay," he said, seemingly satisfied with that response. "Can we go to that place where you can get all the ice cream you want?" he asked eagerly.

"If it's still open by the time we land, I don't see why not. But you should go join your teammates."

"Okay. See you later. Bye, Char," he said as he grabbed her hand for a moment before letting it go and running to the locker-room.

Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia spotted Mellie approaching her. From a single glance, she could tell that Mellie was seething. "Christ," she mumbled to herself.

"Olivia," Mellie greeted her with a forced smile.

"Hi, Mellie," she said with an equally strained grin.

"Are you here on Fitz's behalf?"

"Not really. I'm here on my behalf."

"I have to be honest. I'm really trying hard not to be frustrated with you and my ex-husband," Mellie began. The way she emphasized ex-husband did not sit right with Olivia.

In truth, Mellie was growing beyond frustrated. She had no real problems with Olivia until recently. It honestly seemed like she was trying to erase her from her children's lives. She would not stand for it. She hated how every major decision in her children's lives was somehow ran by Olivia first before she was even considered to be consulted on the matter. It was as if her children didn't value her opinions anymore. They didn't think to come to her, and that hurt her. She wondered what she was doing wrong as a parent for her children to seemingly prefer to talk to their stepmom over her. Was Olivia brainwashing them? Did she talk about her behind her back? Was she making her seem like a bad person, a bad mother? It was the only way to explain why her children, especially her eldest, were so distant.

"Why would you have any reason to be frustrated with us?" Olivia asked seriously.

"The fact that Fitz shows up for Teddy whenever he sees fit is completely unfair to him and me. If I half-assed and showed up to half of a basketball season and missed practices the way Fitz has, I would be in the running for world's worst mother. I would be the evil parent. But he just misses game and practices whenever he wants, and he's still the hero."

It was not lost on Olivia how inappropriate this conversation was, especially given the venue. "Mellie, my husband works extremely hard making sure all of his children are well taken care of. Teddy's near fifteen thousand dollar tuition doesn't pay itself. My husband does. I'm sorry that he's missed a few games here and there because he's making a living and making sure your _daughter_ isn't neglected during a time of crisis. I would think that of all people you would understand that."

"About my daughter. Was anyone going to tell me that she dropped out of school? If I hadn't forced it out of her when I dropped her off at the airport, I wouldn't have known that this was her last weekend in New York."

"That seems like a conversation that you should be having with Karen not me." Olivia was annoyed that they were having this type of conversation again.

"Olivia, I need you to recognize that they have one mom. You do not make decisions on their behalf. You do not advise them to take trips to some underdeveloped Asian country. You do not take them engagement ring shopping. You do not take them to buy new shoes. I do that! Me!"

Olivia grabbed Charlotte's tiny hand, to keep herself calm and collected. "You need to adjust your tone when you're talking to me," she said firmly. "Get yourself together," she whispered. "We are at your child's game for heaven's sake. This is an unacceptable time to list your grievances to me. You shouldn't be listing grievances to me at any time, but especially right now. I just don't know what you want me to say or do about my relationship with your _adult_ children. It is what it is. And anything I've done for Teddy has always been with his best interest in mind. And I only do it with Fitz's full support and permission. My relationship with your children is not new, and it's quite honestly not going to change. Any problems you have with your children's parenting, you need to discuss that with Fitz. But I can assure you no one's trying to replace you."

Olivia wasn't trying to be hurtful, but she wanted to be clear. She was not going to tolerate any more of these ambushes from Mellie, especially when they seemed completely unwarranted. Olivia had no desire to replace Mellie in her children's lives. She understood how important mothers were to their children. She would never try to hinder or hurt those bonds. The thought alone devastated her. She could understand how Mellie would feel neglected by her children. She could try understand how hurtful it would be to have your children prefer someone else's guidance. But that wasn't her fault. She didn't ask for it to be this way. She wanted to explain to Mellie that perhaps Jerry and Karen came to her because she was relatively closer to them in age. Or maybe it was because, unlike her and Fitz, she didn't have ridiculous expectations of them. But the fact that recently Mellie couldn't talk to her like a civil adult made Olivia lose all sympathy for her, and she had no interest in speaking to her at all.

"Don't think you're taking Teddy tonight. He's not leaving with you. He's not getting on a plane with you. I won't allow it," Mellie said harshly.

Rolling her eyes, "Mellie, really? No one has time for your theatrics today."

"Oh I'm serious."

"You're not hurting me by keeping Teddy away from his father. My life will go on regardless. But Teddy will be wrecked if he can't see his father. He's disappointed enough that Fitz couldn't see him play today. Don't hurt Teddy because of whatever issues you've created in your head and all of a sudden decided you have against me."

Mellie knew she was right despite how wrong it felt to let her child go away with her. "Whatever," she responded. "Have Fitz call me!" she demanded.

"You call him yourself," Olivia spat angrily. She turned around and went back up the bleachers. She kept to herself and tried to enjoy the rest of the game.

* * *

><p>After an afternoon basketball game and a two hour flight with two children, Olivia was exhausted. Even Teddy was worn out. The flight was relatively easy with Charlotte maintaining an easy demeanor and Teddy watching a movie. She was anxious to meet Jerry and Amber and hoped that they didn't have any flight delays. They planned to meet at their designated terminal, but before they could meet, Olivia needed to rent a car.<p>

With her bags, Charlotte and Teddy in tow, she made her way to the rental car counter. She was greeted by an older woman who was particularly friendly as she fulfilled Olivia's accommodations, a basic sedan with a car seat for Charlotte.

"Aww she is just beautiful," the rental car agent said when she noticed Charlotte. Charlotte's head was resting on Olivia's chest, but from that position the agent could see her rubbing her hazel eyes.

Olivia kissed Charlotte's head and smiled at the agent. "Thank you," she replied.

"How old is she?" the agent asked.

Growing increasingly tired, Teddy grabbed Olivia's hand to hold as she spoke to the agent. She pulled him in closer so that he could lean into her side as they waited for the keys.

"She's seven months," Olivia answered.

The agent gave Teddy a once over and looked to Charlotte. "She is gorgeous. She could be on commercials. Are you the nanny?" the agent said seriously as she looked her children.

Olivia's mouth was agape upon hearing the question. She was certain that she looked flushed. "Come again?" Olivia asked, trying to make sure she heard her right.

"The nanny? Are you their nanny?"

"No," Olivia answered with furrowed brows. "I'm the mom," she said in disbelief.

"Oh! Well you have beautiful children," the agent said gleefully as if she hadn't made a faux pas.

"Would you like to add our liability insurance package? It insures you in case there's any..." the agent asked.

"I would like the keys actually," Olivia interjected harshly. She needed to find Jerry and Amber and get to Fitz before she lost it.

The agent hurried to complete Olivia's transaction and gave her a set of keys to a Camry. Holding Teddy's hand, she furiously went to find Jerry who was sitting at a coffee shop with his girlfriend. Seeing them made her forget about her encounter at the rental car stand for a moment.

"Jer!" she said when the pair came into view.

"Liv," he responded as he got up from his chair to greet her.

"Hi, sweetheart," she greeted with a hug. She embraced Amber and pulled away to give her a once over. She was as beautiful as she remembered. Her striking ice blue eyes always pulled people in. Her wavy, dirty blonde hair was accessorized by a headband that also covered her forehead. Olivia didn't remember Amber looking so Bohemian, but with a plunging, v-neck jumpsuit, she looked like an urban hippie.

She looked back to Jerry to see if maybe his style changed too. Since graduating high school, he was slightly less preppy. He donned a Pink Floyd t-shirt, a cardigan, snug jeans and Chucks for his airport attire. Maybe his style had changed, and she never realized it until now. Regardless, she was happy to see them both and happy that Fitz would get to see his children.

"You all ready?" she asked.

"Yes," everyone said in unison. With that, Jerry and Amber helped Olivia with her luggage, and they made their way to their rental car.

* * *

><p>When they arrived at their Buckhead home, Olivia knew almost immediately that Fitz was asleep. She called to see what he was doing on their way home, but he hadn't answered her call. From the porch, Olivia could see that most of the lights except the living room light was off. She grabbed her key and opened the door with Charlotte on her hip. She turned around and a put finger to lips to quiet the group, wanting to truly surprise her husband.<p>

They collectively walked to the living room from the foyer and found Fitz, as Olivia expected, asleep on their sectional with his feet propped on the coffee table. In sweatpants and a t-shirt, his head rested on the back of the couch, and his light snores filled the room. They all tried to quiet their laughter. Jerry, Teddy and Amber stayed at the edge of the room while Olivia walked with Charlotte behind the couch. She gently stroked his hair for a moment before leaning down to place a kiss on his forehead. Her gentle touch quickly woke him up. Startled, he looked around the room, and Teddy was the first person he saw.

"Daddy!" he yelled, running to the couch and throwing himself into his body.

"Ted," Fitz said groggily. "What are you doing here?"

Teddy threw his arms around his neck and gave him a tight hug.

"We came to surprise you!" he said excitedly.

Confused, Fitz looked around the room and spotted Amber and Jerry. It took a moment to collect himself. _Am I dreaming?_ He wondered.

"Hey, dad," Jerry finally greeted.

"Did the three of you fly here?" Fitz asked.

"Five," Olivia corrected from behind him.

"Shit!" he mumbled, startled by her presence. He looked behind him and found his wife holding a sleeping Charlotte close to her chest.

"Surprise, babe," Olivia said quietly.

"Livvie," he replied, shocked to see them. With Teddy clinging to him, he stood up to properly greet his family, bestowing hugs and kisses to everyone in the room.

"Amber, It's great to see," Fitz said. "I had lunch with Jim and Vivian last week."

"I heard. And it's great to see you too."

"What are you all doing here?" he asked.

"I wanted to surprise you. We wanted to see you. And since you couldn't come to us, we came to you," Olivia explained.

He smiled and set Teddy down to be closer to her. He took Charlotte out of her hands to give her kisses. He bounced her in his arms to keep her sleeping.

"Have you all had dinner?" he asked.

"I was thinking of ordering Chinese," Olivia suggested. "We are all pooped from our flights. Teddy what do you think about…"

"Spring rolls!" Teddy interjected excitedly.

"Spring rolls!" Olivia repeated just as enthusiastically. "Okay. There are menus in the menu folder on the counter. Everyone, put your order on the whiteboard on the fridge, and I'll call in the next thirty minutes or so. I just want to get Char changed and in her crib."

The group nodded in agreement and slowly dispersed.

"Should she take Karen's room?" Jerry asked as he went up the stairs. When Amber vacationed with them in high school, she always slept in the girls' rooms. The couple never shared a room while their parents were present.

Not seeing the problem with them sleeping the same room, "She should be fine in yours," Olivia said. She looked to Fitz who seemed visibly surprised, but wanting to be on the same page, he didn't protest.

"Okay. We're going to head upstairs," he said. They all went their separate ways in the home, settling down and unpacking.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Fitz and Olivia found themselves in their bed lounging together. His head was on her chest as she stroked his hair. The children were all in their rooms with the youngest fast asleep. Their lively Chinese dinner caused a new wave of sleepiness for them all. It was nice to relax with her husband after a particularly long day even if they weren't in their D.C. home. Their Atlanta home was much quainter. The bedrooms were much smaller and the décor seemed less elegant. It in some ways was cozier. With glasses of wine on their bedside tables, they snuggled closely to each other. Fitz gave her a rundown of his day, and Olivia listened intently, giving him advice and encouragement. Their conversation inevitably steered to the children. She gave him the run down on Teddy's game and her conversation with Mellie. He was equally annoyed by what he heard and agreed to talk to her.<p>

"Baby, we can't miss anymore games. He was so sad that you couldn't make it. It broke my heart to hear that sadness in his voice," Olivia said.

"Shit," he mumbled, feeling unbelievably guilty. "I'll talk to Marsha. I'll have her move everything around to be in line with his games and practices for the rest of the season."

"And I'll move stuff around on our family calendar. We to need be there from here on out. No exceptions. I don't want him to ever feel like you're neglecting him, especially for Charlotte or Karen or Jerry."

"I know. You're right," he said. He wasn't missing games on purpose. But between work and Karen, he was slacking in showing support to his other children. He was honestly doing the best he could given the circumstances of their busy lives.

"So Karen's in New York right?" he asked.

"She is. She wanted to come, but this was the only weekend she could pack up all of her stuff. She's going to have it sent back to the house. Melissa's back in New York, too."

"She made such a great recovery. It's such a blessing."

"I know. Her parents are over the moon."

"They're good people."

Olivia nodded in agreement.

"I wish she was here though. It feels incomplete without her," Fitz added.

"It does," she agreed as she kissed the crown of his head. "But we're getting to know your future daughter-in-law. There's going to be another Mrs. Grant soon."

"Hey! He hasn't proposed yet."

She giggled loving how proprietary he felt over his last name. He took the hand that wasn't massaging his scalp and intertwined their fingers.

"They're not even engaged yet, and they're sleeping in the same room thanks to you," he said pointedly.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I didn't even consider that you wouldn't want that until the words left my mouth."

"Only impure things can come of this," he said lightheartedly.

She laughed again. "Whatever. If you seriously think this is the first time they've slept in the same room, you're kidding yourself."

"I don't want those things happening under my roof," he said half seriously.

"Your father let us sleep in the same room when we visited him. We weren't engaged the first time I went to Santa Barbara."

"Yeah. And we were much older."

"Babe, they're almost twenty-one."

"Yeah. Yeah," he said trying to blow it off. "We're setting a precedent. We can't undo it now."

"It will be fine. I can assure you."

"Well now whatever dingbat, hipster in tiny pants Karen brings home is going to have to sleep in her room with her, and I'm not having it."

"Skinny jeans," she corrected.

"Whatever. All I know is when we were in my father's home a lot fornicating went down. A lot. You can't keep your hands off of my in any setting, but especially when we're in California. It's like that West Coast air hits you and you…"

"Uh that's almost never how it goes, mister," she interjected. "And I guess you can just chalk it up as Karma. Maybe we should have had less sex in your parents' home and your children wouldn't be doing the mattress mambo in yours."

"The casualness you display when you discuss sex and my children kind of disturbs me, Liv," he said jokingly. "I can't wait to see you when Charlotte's in this position. I can't wait."

"Ew. Charlotte's never having sex," she said seriously.

Laughing he moved to see her face. He laughed even harder when he saw the serious expression it displayed.

"I want to think that, too, Liv, but…"

"No. Charlotte's too perfect for sex. She will always be too perfect for it. She's an angel!"

"Oh. So sex is just for us mere mortals?" he asked while laughing.

"Right. Sex is kind of gross, Fitz. When you take all the lust and passion away, it's just sort of animalistic and weird and gross. And Charlotte is way too perfect for it."

"Hmph. You seem to enjoy this weird, animalistic, gross sport a lot."

"I do, but that's because I'm not perfect. I've succumb to my lowly imperfect, human status," she said in jest.

He chuckled and shook his head, realizing the height of the pedestal she already placed Charlotte. "You are going to be in a world of hurt when Charlotte gets older."

"I know what you're thinking. You think I'm in a world of delusion when it comes to her. But I can't help it, babe. She's amazing."

He leaned back down and rested his head on her chest again. "But you don't think they're actually having sex do you?" he asked seriously.

Wanting to ease his anxiety, "No. The rooms are too close together. Amber seems wholesome," she replied seriously.

"She seems like a hippy. She's sweet, but I mean she's sort of a hippy." Fitz said. Olivia laughed and shook her head. In their short time together, they learned that Amber was an incredibly eco-friendly vegan. Fitz was a little put off by it because he knew her parents so well, and they were quite the opposite. She certainly was not this way when she and Jerry were in high school.

"Why are my all-American, borderline WASPy, D.A.R. blood children attracted to these hipster, tree huggers?"

"Maybe they're becoming hipster, tree huggers, honey. I'd say they're probably learning from the best. It's not like I fit the WASPy, all-American bill."

"That's because you're perfect. If anyone's perfect in this house, it's you," he said sincerely. He brought their hands up to his lips and kissed the back of hers.

She formed a small smile. It was the only to keep from crying when she remembered her encounter at the airport.

"Someone thought I was the nanny today," she admitted quietly.

"What?" he asked, truly unable to hear her.

"The nanny. Someone asked if I was Charlotte and Teddy's nanny at the airport," she repeated.

Turning to face her, he was stunned. He was even more surprised and hurt by how upset Olivia looked. "That person who asked that is a goddamn idiot," he said angrily. "Why would they ask you that?" he said in disbelief.

"I don't know. I was renting a car, and the agent saw Char and said that she was beautiful and could be in commercials," she said with a laugh. "And then proceeded to ask me if I was the nanny."

He tried to make sense of it, but he couldn't. They did not live a colorblind life. It was next to impossible and naïve to do so in a less than colorblind world. But race _never_ dictated their life, and he understood that in many ways, this was a privileged position to be in. He recognized that their economic status, their relative influence and reputation in their fields, sometimes sheltered them from issues of race. But he had a hard time wrapping his head around this encounter. He was trying to put himself in Olivia's shoes. He was confident that no one had ever or would ever say anything like that to him when he was alone with Charlotte. And that angered him even more.

"Livvie, I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's just frustrating. I'm used to getting looks or stares when I correct Teddy's behavior in public or if he shows me affection. But to get blatantly asked if my daughter who I created, who I spent ten hours of labor birthing, is someone else's…That hurts."

She grew even more frustrated when she started to become emotional, her newly formed tears shedding on her cheeks. "I mean does she not look like me?" she asked in despair.

Fitz quickly switched their positions and moved so that he could pick her up and hold her in his lap. "She looks like you," he tried to assure her. "She has the best parts of you, baby. Your nose. Your lips. Your eyes."

"She does not have my eyes," she interjected. "Her great grandmother's," she corrected.

"But they have the same beautiful shape. Baby, she is you. She is all you," he insisted. That made her feel better, but she was still a little hurt. She sighed in relief when he leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"We have to have another baby. I know we've decided that we would already, but we just have to, Fitz. For Charlotte. I want Charlotte to grow up with someone who looks like her. I don't want her to ever be confused or disappointed when she doesn't have her older brother and sister's eyes, their straight hair. I want her to have someone who will share her same experiences, so that she can see her beauty mirroring her," she said seriously.

"She will have that. We will give her everything she needs so that when she enters the real world, away from the ways that we're able to shelter, she will be confident, beautiful, smart and prepared for whatever injustices or hardships may be thrown her way. Honey, more importantly, she has you. That's really all she needs. You are the greatest example for her."

She nodded, and he cupped her face to wipe away her tears. He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips.

"I'm writing that rental car company a strongly worded letter. That fool needs to learn some etiquette. We're not renting from them again."

She smiled. "It's fine."

"It's not fine. You can't say that stuff to people, especially when you work in customer service. It's insensitive."

The spent the next few minutes in silence, both thinking of what the future would hold for their daughter, for their family. She was starting to understand the level of anxiety Fitz had in parenting. She felt lucky to have a partner who was generally on the same page as her. She would never take for granted the ways that he was able to comfort her. He felt equally lucky to be married to someone so fearless, strong and beautiful. He wanted to shelter her and their children from any pain and hurt the best way he knew how.

She leaned up and gave him another kiss, lingering on his lips until she was satisfied. Wanting to wash the day away, she got up from the bed and moved to their in suite shower. "Come on," she said as she held her hand out for him.

"I've already showered."

She looked at him with a pout before giving him a suggestive, knowing look.

"Oh. So someone wants to get gross, animalistic and weird with me, huh?"

"Maybe," she said as she lifted her shirt over her head and threw it him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This is the first time I've addressed race in their journey together. It felt like an appropriate, inevitable time. Hopefully it was handled sensitively. I know this is the experience for many parents with multiracial children. I use to nanny a toddler of a different race from my own, and we used to get stares all the time when I took her in public. This is especially true for people who live in small towns. One time, I went a grocery store with her, and a young cashier asked if she was adopted. I was so surprised by that question. In truth, I was more offended that someone would think I was old enough to adopt a child her age lol, but I still could not believe she would ask that. If she was adopted and didn't know, what a terrible way to blow the cover! Anyway, I thought it would be interesting for Olivia to share a similar experience. Thoughts here? <strong>

**That aside, there's a confrontation with Mellie who thinks Olivia's taking her place. Thoughts on how Olivia handled it? Also, on the onset they discuss houses. Thoughts on how they handle their differences? **

**Next chapter, I will pick up on Karen. And the family will continue to get to know Amber and Jerry.**

**Let me know what you think! **


	16. Chapter 16

With his eyes barely open, Fitz woke up with a heap of ringlets sprawled on his chest. He could feel the weight of his wife's head on his body and her form snuggled closely to his. He looked at the digital clock on his nightstand and was surprised to see that it was almost seven o'clock. Olivia was normally out of bed by now. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he woke up before her. He was certain that it was before Charlotte arrived. Her nursing schedule required her to wake up earlier than he did, but now that Charlotte was breastfeeding less and was sleeping through the night more frequently, Olivia could sleep in. Even though she Charlotte's schedule permitted her to spend more time resting, she rarely took advantage of it. It was a pleasant surprise to feel her body next to his.

Wanting to check on Charlotte, he tried to slide out of bed without waking her. He realized that it was failed attempt when Olivia grumbled, "She's fine."

"How did you know I was going to check on her?" he asked groggily.

"Because you always linger in bed when you first wake up. You never wake up with a start unless you're late or you want to check on Charlotte." she said almost inaudibly with her eyes firmly shut.

"How long have you been up?" he asked.

"I don't know. Five minutes maybe."

"Did you already feed Charlotte?"

"Amber and Jerry gave her a bottle."

"What?" he asked completely confused. Olivia was typically the only one to feed Charlotte in the morning, whether she breastfeed, gave her a bottle or let her eat solids, Olivia was the only person to feed her first thing in the morning.

"Amber and Jerry gave her a bottle," she answered again. He was beginning to ask one too many questions for her liking. She just wanted to relax with him.

"Liv, I'm confused. Why did they do that?"

Olivia sighed before finally opening her eyes to look at him. "Amber's in some early childhood development class. She's writing some paper. She asked me last night if she could feed Charlotte sometime this weekend. I asked her if she wanted to do it in the morning so I could sleep in, and she and Jerry agreed. I pumped and left a bottle in the fridge and Char's bananas in the cupboard. But apparently I'm not going to get to sleep in because you have a million questions. Can you just hold me and go back to sleep?"

He smiled and obliged, holding her even tighter and pulling her into his body.

"How's that?" he asked in their embrace.

"Perfect, baby. No more questions," she said as started to fall back into a slumber.

He kissed the top of her head and drifted to sleep.

* * *

><p>When Fitz woke up for the second time that morning, he craved sex. Maybe it was the way that his wife's legs were thrown over his body or perhaps it was seeing her breasts spilling out of her silk camisole. Regardless of the reasons, it was the first thing on his mind. As she rested next to him, he didn't know how long he could wait to have her.<p>

He rubbed Olivia's side soothingly her as if simply touching her would ease his erection. She slowly stirred awake and opened her eyes to find her husband peering at her hungrily.

"Babe," she groaned softly. She wasn't sure if she was protesting or wanting more of his touch. Sleeping in always made her feel so disoriented.

He didn't respond with words. Instead, he moved on top of her and slid his hand up her shirt, caressing her stomach until he reached her breasts. With his expansive palm, he cupped her supple breast, gently caressing her nipple until it pointed against his finger tip.

She stretched her tired limbs, extending her arms over her head and moaned as he massaged her chest. He moved his hand to the inside her silk pajama shorts. He wasn't expecting her to be as aroused as she was, but he was delighted just the same. When he cupped her core and stroked it gently, she couldn't help but ride his hand as he leaned in to kiss her. With his rapidly moving fingers in her center, she thought she could unravel on his palm. So lost in thought and pleasure, she barely noticed him trying to remove her shirt with his free hand. When he successfully removed her shirt with her assistance, he halted all of his movement to watch her breathlessly writhe beneath him, marveling at her stunning physic.

"What?" she asked when he realized he paused.

When he didn't say anything, she sat up and removed her shorts and threw them behind her. She helped him out of his pajama pants and then moved on top of him. She scooted so far up his body to straddle him, he could feel her slick heat on his torso. Wanting to be fully in control, she firmly pushed on his chest so that he would lay on his back. She leaned down to bring their lips together, slipping her tongue in his mouth to command his. Before taking in his manhood, she reached behind and pumped him up and down, teasing the tip with her thumb until he began to jerk underneath her.

Breaking their lip-lock, "Not yet," she teased as she slightly moved down his body and eased down on his member. Chest to chest, she fluidly moved up and down and rocked back and forth on his stiff shaft.

Reveling in the feeling of her, "Slow," he whispered when she began to pick up their pace. She kissed him briefly and then smiled against his lips while leisurely moving against him as he requested. Trying to assist in their rhythm, he kept one hand on her ass and one hand on her hip while their cries for each other began to fill their bedroom. With her eyes firmly shut, she cradled his head as their lips collided once more. Not even his kisses could muffle her strident moans. When her noise threatened to wake up the house, he bit her bottom lip. "Quiet," he whispered. That did nothing to deter her, especially as her peak approached. Overwhelmed by the feeling he evoked, she tried to move her upper body away from his, but he kept her in place knowing that both their orgasms were near. He held her in place with his arms around her back and thrust upward as she grinded on him.

"Babe," she yelled when the pleasure was becoming all consuming. Their pace was so slow it was becoming torturous. She sped up their rhythm, hoping to send them to the cusp of their breaking point. She buried her head in his neck, biting his skin, when she finally peaked. He held her shaking firmly form as her climax washed over her body. When she settled and realized that her husband hadn't finished, she sat up and quickly bounced up and down and moved back and forth on top of him. Her bouncing breasts were almost enough to send him to completion. The moment she threw her head back in pleasure, he reached to cup her breast, careful of their sensitivity. He caressed her pointed nipples, her pert breasts with so much attention, it sent a shiver down her spine. He reached between her legs to bring even more pleasure causing her to double her efforts on top of him.

"Fi—Babe…baby…so good," she mustered out.

"That's it Livvie. Ride me hard, baby" he instructed gruffly. "Shit," he mumbled when he felt the beginnings of his climax.

Leaning down to be chest to chest with him again, she grabbed his hands, taking them away from her body, so that she could intertwine their fingers, placing them over his head. Their bodies were growing sweatier with each movement. She captured her lips with his, and the moment their tongues collided, she unexpectedly a peaked second time, squeezing his hands and kissing him fervently. Within a few short minutes, he joined her in a wave of bliss, seeping and jerking inside of her.

She pursed her lips to try to catch her breath. "Making me do all the heavy lifting," she teased as she wiped off a bead of sweat from her husband's forehead. She climbed off of him, but stayed close by his side, wrapping an arm around his clammy chest, feeling it rise up and down against her finger tips as she played with his chest hair.

"Morning, Livvie," he said with a smirk.

Propping herself on her elbow, "I love you," she replied. She was so overwhelmed by her love for him she was bursting at the seams to declare her adoration for him.

"You do?" he asked, feigning surprise.

She nodded and smiled. "I love you," she repeated.

"You better," he said and then kissed her forehead, her nose, and her lips. "I love you, too," he added, bringing her down so that her head could rest on his chest.

"It will never get old hearing you say that. Ever," she said with full grin on her face.

"Good because I'm never going to stop telling you," he replied. He kissed her the crown of her head, loving the feeling of her messy tendrils on his chest. They allowed silence to fill the room for a few moments. After sex, it was as if Olivia's mind went haywire, roaming from incoherent thought to profound revelations. When Olivia's thoughts began to get the best of her, she spoke again.

"How many times do you think we've done this?" she asked.

"Done what? Say 'I love you'?"

"No," she replied with a chuckle. "Sex." She moved her body slightly so that she could face him.

"Too many to count," he replied.

"Is it still the same for you?" she asked.

He wasn't sure what she was asking exactly. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "Is our sex the same?"

"Yes. Do you still…are you still…you know…"

He chuckled and brought her head up so he could look at her face.

"I think you know the answer to that," he said with a mischievous grin.

She shrugged in response. "Couples don't talk about this sort of thing. They assume that their partners are satisfied, and then people step out when they're not. I mean I know that's not the only reason people cheat, but…"

"I know you're not seriously worried about me cheating," he said in an accusatory tone.

"No. Not at all. I just want to make sure you're still enjoying our…intimacy. If it's the same for you, if it's still really good, if you're really satisfied and not settling," she said seriously. "It's not like we have sex as much as we used to. It's impossible with Charlotte and our jobs, and I'm not complaining about that. I just want to make sure it's still good for you."

"I still love being with you in every imaginable, Livvie. I know some people feel bored with their sex lives over time. But sweetheart, I don't feel that way with you. If anything, it's gotten better with time because I trust you with everything, and you trust me, and you're willing to try things, and I know your body. Baby, what we have, what we do, it's spectacular," he said assuredly. He was confused how she could have a doubt about it.

She smiled and kissed his chin. "Good. I feel the same way."

He was always surprised by her, the things that concerned her, and her insecurities. In some ways, she was easy to predict, but sometimes she was still a mystery to him. Maybe that was what made their marriage interesting.

"You're something else," he said quietly.

She turned her head slightly to kiss his chest before resting it on his chest again. "What do you want to do today, tonight even?"

"Kiss you," he replied and then he kissed the most accessible part of her neck. He quickly moved so that he was hovering over her to give him better access to her neck.

"All night?" she asked through giggles.

"All night long," he sang in the tune of the Lionel Richie song.

She laughed as he worked his way across her neck and down to her collar bone.

"Charlotte will not allow that to happen."

"Charlotte is a party pooper. Mainly just a pooper," he said laughing at his own joke.

Olivia gently lifted up, effectively ending his kissing session. "I want to see my little pooper," she said as he moved from the bed. "Babe," he tried to protest. "I thought the kids had her," he said.

"They do. They did. I'll bring her in here," she said. She swiftly moved to their master bathroom to freshen up. In a silk robe, she quickly slipped out of the room. She made her way into Charlotte's nursery where she found Amber doing her best to rock a very fussy Charlotte.

When Amber noticed Olivia, she looked immediately relieved.

"Olivia, I'm so sorry. I can't get her to stop crying."

"It's okay," she assured her. Alarmed by Charlotte's upset demeanor, she quickly moved to take Charlotte from Amber. "Thanks for giving her breakfast and letting us sleep in." As soon as she was in her mother's arms, Charlotte tried to bury herself in her mother's chest.

"No problem," Amber replied as she got up from the rocker. "Thanks for letting me do this. I have a lot to write about now."

Switching spots, Olivia sat in the rocker and cradled Charlotte. Her hazel orbs were brimming with tears, and her body was warmer than usual.

"Where's Jerry?" Olivia asked.

"Shower."

"Okay. Well I'll take it from here," Olivia said. Amber left the room leaving Olivia to tend to her baby girl.

Olivia stood up and moved to place Charlotte on the changing table. She inspected to make sure she was perfectly dry and changed properly. She grabbed a thermometer from under the table to gauge Charlotte's temperature. When she placed the thermometer in Charlotte's ear, Charlotte immediately wailed at the contact.

"Oooh, baby," Olivia said, trying to soothe her. When Charlotte settled, Olivia grabbed an oral thermometer from under the changing table and slipped it in her mouth. She was alarmed when it displayed a reading of 100 degrees.

She looked at Charlotte's distressed face. Her pronounced frown was adorable and sad all at once. "Sweetheart, what's the matter?" she asked. These were the moments when she wished Charlotte could tell her what was ailing her.

Charlotte's cries were inconsistent. She started to wail softly, whimpering and whining, before crying loudly again. Olivia felt awful as she tried to figure out what was going on with her baby. She removed Charlotte's coverall pajamas, leaving her in a diaper, so that she'd be less hot. Olivia opened her robe and laid Charlotte on her bare chest so that they could be skin to skin as she rocked her. She held Charlotte on her chest and noticed her pulling on her little ears.

Shirtless in sweatpants, Fitz joined them in the room. He could tell by the concerned look on Olivia's face and Charlotte's wails from the hallway that something was up.

"Is she okay?" he asked as he kneeled beside them by the rocker.

"I think she might have an ear infection," Olivia responded, completely distressed.

"Oh dear," he said as he also noticed her tugging on her ear.

"She has a fever," she said as she kissed her head. "I hate when she's sick. I just want to take it away," she said with frustration. "It's okay, sweetheart. I'm here now," she whispered when Charlotte started to cry again. Olivia pulled her away for chest for a moment so that she could see her fussy face. She shook her head, hating the look of her furrowed eyebrows and downturned lips. She kissed her lips and put her back on her chest. She stroked her hair and continued to rock her on her chest. "I want you to feel better, butterball."

He hated seeing his daughter sick, but he always loved seeing Olivia in full mommy mode. She was a fierce protector and nurturer. Charlotte moved her head from one side to the other until she found the perfect spot in the crook of Olivia's neck. Olivia found a nearby pacifier, which she did not love her using unless she was sleeping, and popped it in her mouth.

Fitz and Olivia heard the pitter patter of feet down the hall. They saw Teddy's head peep in Charlotte's nursery. Olivia quickly covered her bare chest as Teddy made his way inside. Olivia gave him a smile. He was so adorable in the morning with his disheveled hair and cute superhero pajamas.

"Dad, can I have pancakes?" he asked loudly, not paying any attention to his sister.

Fitz could see Charlotte startle at the sound of her brother's voice. "Ssh, Teddy," Fitz said firmly in a raised voice.

"But I'm really hungry."

"Okay. I'll be down in a minute. Go wait for me in the kitchen." Teddy did as he was told and promptly left the nursery.

Fitz stood up only to bend down to kiss Charlotte's head. He took in Olivia's anxiety-ridden face. He ran his fingers through her messy tendrils. He brought her chin up and placed a kiss on her lips, hoping that would be enough to ease her nerves for a moment.

* * *

><p>"Dad, do you love Charlotte more than me?" Teddy asked seriously. He was seated at their breakfast nook eating fruit while Fitz made pancakes and bacon for the family. Fitz's back was turned away from him as he flipped pancakes, but he heard the question clearly.<p>

Shocked by Teddy's inquiry, Fitz turned away from the food to face his son. "No, buddy. Not at all."

"Oh," he said as if he was surprised by his father's response.

"Why would you think that?"

"Sometimes you yell at me, and you don't yell at Charlotte."

Fitz felt immediately guilty for his tone of voice in Charlotte's nursery. He didn't even greet him hello before correcting his behavior. He took the pancakes off the burner and lowered the bacon so that he could give his son his full attention. "I didn't mean to yell at you earlier, Ted. I'm sorry. I don't yell at Charlotte because she's a baby, but I'm sure when she's your age, I'll accidentally yell at her, too."

"But Charlotte gets to live with you, and I don't," Teddy countered.

"That's because you have different moms. Your mom helps take care of you. And Liv helps take care of Charlotte."

"But we have the same dad," he stated as a matter of fact. "I love mommy," he said assuredly. "But sometimes I want to stay with you more."

"Why?" Fitz didn't need to know a real reason, but he wanted to make sure that everything was okay at home with him and Mellie.

"When Jer and Karen surprise us and come home, they usually stay at your house. Charlotte is at your house, and I like playing with her, and Olivia always has oatmeal cookies and cupcakes at your house."

He chuckled realizing the answer was far less convoluted than he imagined. "I think that's something that we would have to talk to mom about. You know you can always stay with us more, but we just need to see what mom thinks. I think she might miss seeing you," he said as he went back to cooking breakfast. His bacon was a little crisp, but still salvageable. As he moved to plate their food, Olivia entered the kitchen. In jeans and sweatshirt, she was now fully dressed and caring Charlotte who was bundled up.

"Where are you going?" Fitz asked her.

"Doctor's. Urgent care. She needs antibiotics or something to help her feel better. I want make sure it's an ear infection and to see how severe it is," she said as she hurriedly rummaged through the fridge for Charlotte's food.

"Well wait a minute. Do you want me to go with you?"

"No. No. You stay with the kids. I'll be fine. I just want to get her checked out as soon as possible," she replied as she turned to face him.

He moved towards his wife and took Charlotte out of her arms. Charlotte looked completely worn out. Her eyes fluttered open before shutting again. She yawned in his arms and tried to find a perfect spot to rest her head on his chest. "Baby girl, I need you to feel better," he said before kissing her head.

"Call me as soon as you get there. Keep me posted," Fitz said seriously.

"I will," Olivia responded as she took Charlotte out of his arms. He pulled Olivia into a tight embrace with her head resting under his chin.

"She's going to be fine," he said confidently in her hair. She nodded and let him go. She gathered her and Charlotte's belongings, and promptly left to get Charlotte checked out.

* * *

><p>Though Fitz hadn't planned a day at the aquarium with his two sons, he was pleased nonetheless to be spending the day with them. Amber wasn't too keen on the idea of visiting sea animals out of their natural habitat, feeling like it was inhumane, but Teddy's persistence lead them there. It felt a little odd to be traipsing around an aquarium when his wife and daughter were sitting in urgent care. He called Olivia before they left to check in on Charlotte. They were still waiting to be seen, but Olivia urged him to have a good time with the boys. Now, they were headed to the shark exhibit.<p>

"Dad!" Teddy said eagerly. "Did you know that fish can drown in water?" he asked as he walked briskly in front of his father, Jerry and Amber.

"No. I didn't know that," Fitz replied.

"If there's not a enough oxygen in the water, they can drown," Teddy relayed. Fitz was impressed by this tidbit and walked ahead of Jerry and Amber to meet his younger son's stride.

They swiftly made their way inside the shark exhibit, which stopped Teddy dead in his tracks. He was awed at the sight of an 18 foot whale shark in a massive tank.

"Oooh," Teddy said as his jaw dropped.

He ran to the tank and stood in front of it in utter amazement. The aquarium was surprisingly sparse for a Saturday, leaving the four of them to observe the tank with little commotion from other visitors.

Teddy turned to Fitz and smiled. "Did you know that whale sharks don't eat people?"

"I did know that."

Teddy turned around to face the tank, staring at the shark and surrounding fish intently."And megamouth sharks, too. They're om…omni…uh…they don't eat meat," he said proudly. "Omnivores!" he declared when the word came to him.

Fitz was so surprised and impressed by his knowledge of the aquatic animals. He rubbed his hand through his hair and kissed the top of his head.

"If you could be a shark, what kind of shark would you be?" Fitz asked Teddy.

"Umm. Probably hammerhead," Teddy answered confidently.

"Hammerhead? Why?"

"They look really cool."

"Well that's fitting because you're really cool," Jerry interjected as he and Amber approached them.

Teddy beamed at his older brother's compliment. Fitz smiled knowing how much hearing those words would boost Teddy's confidence considering how much he admired his older brother.

"How do you know so much about sharks, little man," Jerry asked as he stood beside Teddy.

"Shark week at school" Teddy answered proudly.

"What do you know about dolphins?" Jerry inquired.

Teddy froze and shook his head with wide eyes. "I don't know," he said bashfully.

"Me neither," Jerry admitted, which seemed to ease Teddy. "Let's go learn something," Jerry said as he extended his hand to him

Grabbing Jerry's much larger hand, "Let's go see the dolphins!" Teddy yelled animatedly. Fitz and Amber followed behind them both enjoying the sight of two brothers bonding.

* * *

><p>After a day at the aquarium and dinner with his boys, Fitz was officially tired. Teddy had so much energy, talked nonstop, and was so eager to learn more about aquatic life. Teddy insisted on going to a bookstore so he could get shark books after buying shark toys for him and Charlotte at the aquarium's gift shop. It was also nice to get to know Amber better. From their outing, Fitz learned that Amber volunteered at a local pet shelter during her freshmen year of college, which changed her perspective on eating food from animals. She was far more eclectic than he remembered, and seemed so different from Jerry. But seeing Jerry with Amber made him see his son in a different light. Even Jerry had different tastes than he remembered.<p>

He was glad to have the day with his sons, but was even happier that his daughter seemed to be doing much better. After a four and a half hour visit to urgent care, Olivia spent the day at home nursing Charlotte's officially diagnosed ear infection. The doctor gave her medicine to break her rising fever and clear the infection. It put him at ease to relax with his daughter in their bedroom as Olivia got ready for bed.

"Do you mind if she sleeps with us tonight?" Olivia asked as she moisturized her face in the bathroom. She stepped out the bathroom, looking over to Charlotte who was resting with her father on the bed, and was equally relieved to see that she was slowly returning to her happy, bubbly self. The medicine had kicked in fully, and because of her constant sleeping throughout the day, she wasn't particularly tired despite it being her normal bedtime.

"Of course not," he replied as Charlotte sat contently on his torso in her diaper as he reclined back on the pillows. He was supposed to be changing her and putting her in pajamas, but he was distracted by her smiling face. She was cooing and babbling as she rested on top of him.

Olivia pulled out Charlotte's sleeper from the closet and placed it on her side of the bed before sitting on top of the comforter next to her husband. Charlotte squirmed excitedly and squealed seeing her mother so close by. Olivia grabbed her from her resting place on her father and placed her on her lap.

She kissed Charlotte's face all over before kissing her tiny lips, eliciting a fit of giggles from the infant. "Charlotte, can you give mommy kisses?" she asked before leaning in so that Charlotte could reach her face. "Give mommy kisses," she requested again and then kissed her once more. Mimicking her mother, Charlotte grabbed Olivia's face with her pint sized hands, opened her entire mouth and gave her mom a slobbery kiss that landed in between her nose and her mouth.

Fitz and Olivia heartily laughed at their daughter's show of affection. "Thank you, sweet girl," Olivia said after she wiped Charlotte's drool from her face. She gave her daughter another kiss and set her down between her and Fitz.

Wanting to be held, Charlotte crawled the short distance to her father. He grabbed her immediately and held her his arms. He kissed her plump cheeks before asking, "Can daddy have kisses, too?" She paused for a moment as if she was thinking about his request. He kissed her again to see if she would kiss him back, and she grabbed his cheeks with her hands and wrapped her lips around his nose. She pulled away only to give him two more slobbery kisses. When she was contented with showering her father with kisses, she rested her head on his chest.

"She is sooo stinkin' cute," Olivia said as she moved closer to Fitz and reclined with him. "Are you bribing daddy with kisses so he'll let you stay up later?" Olivia asked as she picked up Charlotte's hand and let her grasp her much larger finger. Olivia leaned in to rest her head on Fitz's shoulder as she stared their daughter. Sometimes she watched Charlotte in complete wonderment totally astounded by the precious being she created.

Finally getting tired, Charlotte's mouth widened, creating a double chin as she yawned. She rubbed her eyes and blinked slowly as she settled into her father's body. With one large hand on her back, he rubbed it up and down to soothe her. The three of them rested in silence until Fitz finally spoke.

"Teddy asked if I loved Charlotte more than him," Fitz said.

Olivia was just as shocked to hear that as Fitz was earlier. "Oh gosh," she replied feeling guilty. "I hate that he felt that way for even a second."

"I do too. But I spent all day with him telling him how much I loved him and how important he is to me." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "He wants to live with us."

"Full time?"

"I guess. Or just more than he does."

"Why? Is something going on at Mellie's"

"Not at all. He wants to play with Charlotte more, and you always have fresh baked goods at our place."

"Well than Mellie will not go for that."

"She might if that's what he wants."

"She won't. Fitz, that's her son. She's not going to want to spend less time away from him."

"Maybe we could swap days. I could have weekdays and she could do weekends."

"Perhaps, but personally I think you have the best days because you can actually spend time with him. Don't get me wrong. I want Teddy as much as we can have him, but I don't want you to be fooled into thinking that by having him during the weekdays, you'll have more quality time with him. Eight hours out of the day he'll be in school. A few evenings out of the week he'll have basketball. Soon he'll have karate. And on top of that he'll start having time-consuming homework."

"I know, but I just want him to be happy. And if that means spending more days with us, then I'll do it in any capacity."

"Okay. But please don't tell Mellie the reason he wants to live with us is because I have his favorite cookies at our home. It will be one more reason for her to hate me."

"She doesn't hate you first and foremost. And I think telling her his real reasons will make her feel better. She'll know that it has little to do her with parenting and everything to do with his sweet tooth."

"No. Somehow it will get twisted into this big thing, something that's it's not. Somehow I'll be the evil one for manipulating or bribing him with desserts. I just don't need any more fuel for her to hate me," she voiced with anxiety evident in her voice.

"I'm going to talk to Mellie, and I'm going to be honest with her about what he said, but I won't mention you," he agreed. Trying to work out what to relay to her, "I'll tell her I buy groceries that she doesn't. She'll know that's true because she used to get on me about buying too much junk food when we were married, okay?" he said.

"Okay."

"And I'm going to tell her that doesn't need to address you in public places with the types of concerns she did at the gym. And, baby, I'm going to be firm with her, but also I want you to extend and olive branch."

Scoffing, "What? Why? I didn't do anything wrong," Olivia said defensively.

"Livvie, I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you do for my children. You're amazing with them, and I don't want you to change a thing that you're doing. When I talk to Mellie, I'll share that with her. But I also think it's important for us to put ourselves in her shoes. Baby, if she were remarried and my kids seemingly wanted to spend more time or consult their step dad over me, I would be crushed. Do I think that's a true or fair scenario? No at all. I don't think she's seeing the big picture, and how much they need and value her. But regardless, I would be crushed if I felt that way. I'm just starting to realize, this Karen situation and Jerry wanting to propose has made me realize, our work with them is almost over. As much as I want to, I can't make decisions on their behalf. And that's really though to wrap my head around right now when I have a baby, and almost nine year old. But while Teddy still needs me, still needs me to make choices on his behalf, I want to make sure it's done right with lots of love and care. So I need my, _our_ relationship, with Mellie to be strong. We need to actually like each other, respect each other for this to work. We have to make an effort."

She groaned, hating what he was saying, but knowing it was right.

"Can you do that for me? I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was vital for Teddy. We all need to be on the same page."

"Yeah. I can do that. Maybe I'll invite her to lunch or something, and we can just hash out whatever she has against me."

"She doesn't have anything against you per se. I think she's just jealous of your relationship with the kids. It's something she's going to have to work out herself, but let's at least do our part in making this work."

She frowned looking exactly like Charlotte. Fitz couldn't help but smile.

"Come here," he said with puckered lips.

She kissed him and moved even closer to him and Charlotte.

"Is she sleeping?" he asked as he looked down at his daughter. He could only see the top of her head and didn't want to disturb her with his movements.

Olivia looked to Charlotte and smiled at her peaceful, sleeping form. Charlotte let out a tired sigh in her sleep. She leaned in to give her a kiss before finally answering her husband, "Yep."

He got up from the bed, careful not to disrupt Charlotte, and walked around the bed to place her in the co-sleeper next to Olivia. "Night-night, Charlotte Rose. Daddy loves you," he whispered after kissing her forehead. He leaned over to Olivia so that he she could give her a goodnight kiss as well. "Sleep tight, sweet girl," Olivia said quietly.

He turned off the lights in the room and moved back to his side of the bed. He got under their comforter, lifting them so that his wife could bury herself under them as well. When they were both settled and covered, he wrapped his arms around his her waist. Feeling like she could finally rest after a long day, she kissed his lips and breathed a sigh of relief before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I promise I will deal with Karen next chapter lol. I have it written, but it didn't work in this chapter. They'll have one more day in ATL with Jerry and Amber before going back to D.C. where their house situation will unfold. This chapter is mostly about small moments, intimate moments, from Olivia questioning if he's sexually satisfied to them dealing with a sick kid. Thoughts there? Teddy wants to live with them full time. Good idea or bad idea? Thoughts on how Fitz wants to handle Mellie? Let me know what you think! <strong>


	17. Chapter 17

Despite the dreary, stormy weather outside, the Grant household was lively. Though Olivia and the children were slated to return to D.C. that day, as the weekend came to an end, the weather had twice delayed their flight out from Atlanta. They took advantage of the inclement weather and changed to an early bird flight the next morning, a minor inconvenience that allowed the family to spend more time together. Fitz couldn't have been more grateful for it. To maximize their quality time, Olivia suggested an indoor picnic. She, Fitz, Charlotte, Teddy Jerry and Amber were seated on the living room floor with a large blanket and an array of picnic food.

"Is the chicken salad okay? I tried a new recipe?" Olivia asked the group.

"It's great, honey," Fitz said as he took a bite of his sandwich.

Olivia wasn't particularly hungry after dabbling in all the food she prepared, but she delighted in watching the family snack on her new chicken salad recipe as well as turkey and provolone sandwiches, fruit salad, oven baked chips, homemade applesauce, and a tomato and green bean salad for Amber. She was now realizing that she went a little overboard, but Teddy seemed so excited about having an indoor picnic, she wanted them to have a lot of options.

"Thanks for doing all of this," Fitz added as he watched his daughter gleefully play in her mother's lap.

"No problem," she replied with a smile.

"So Amber, when I talked to your father a few weeks ago, he told me that you were planning on doing study abroad. Where are you planning on studying?" Fitz asked.

Amber took a bite of her salad and looked to Jerry. "I've recently decided that I'm not doing study abroad anymore."

"Oh. What made you change your mind?" Fitz asked.

"Jerry and I have talked about it, and we don't think it's the best idea."

Fitz tried to hide the surprise on his face hearing that his son was seemingly active in her decision making process. "And can I ask why? It seems like a perfect learning opportunity."

"Uh. We just don't want to be so far away from each other for so long," Amber explained.

Fitz looked to Olivia who looked equally surprised to by her reasoning. She gave him a subtle look, telling him not to push too hard on the issue.

As if Charlotte could feel the rising tension in the room, she squealed loudly and bounced in Olivia's lap, and all eyes went to her. Olivia wasn't sure what was capturing her attention, but she unconsciously kissed the top of her head and bounced her in her lap.

With a bowl of applesauce and a spoon, Teddy moved from his place on the floor to sit in front of Olivia.

"Charlotte, come here," Teddy requested.

Olivia took her out of her lap and positioned her on all fours. Charlotte very slowly crawled to her brother, falling on her belly a few times in the process.

"Can she have some?" he asked, holding up his applesauce.

"Just a little," Fitz answered before returning his attention to Jerry and Amber. "I didn't realize that study abroad was so time consuming. I thought it was four months," Fitz said.

"A lot can happen in four months," Jerry explained.

Olivia tried to listen to Fitz's conversation while keeping an eye on Teddy and Charlotte. She laughed at the sight of Charlotte bouncing as she tried applesauce for the first time. As soon as she swallowed the small portion Teddy fed her, her mouth opened wide for more. She clapped and squealed in delight at the sweet taste. Olivia was impressed by how instinctive Teddy was in feeding her, only giving her what she could handle. It was such a precious scene. She wished Fitz was paying attention, but she didn't want to interrupt his conversation with Jerry. Teddy put the applesauce down and grabbed her blocks to play with her.

Olivia was dipping in and out of the conversation, but she perked up when she heard Amber say, "We're actually thinking of opening our own composting business." She looked to her husband to gauge his reaction. He looked wholly surprised and responded, "You're going to try to make money off of waste?"

"Yes. There's a growing market. We'd like to sell compost, and teach people how to make their own compost," Jerry said.

"And you plan on doing this in between teaching and architecture?" he questioned them both.

"Of course," Amber replied.

"If it picks up, we'll quit whatever jobs we have, but for now it will be a side project, which is why it's important for her to be in the states instead of study abroad," Jerry explained.

Fitz shook his head at their logic, but didn't push the matter. Olivia's phone rang, interrupting their conversation. She smiled when she saw that Karen was video calling her.

"Karen!," she answered excitedly when she saw her stepdaughter's face on her screen.

"Hi," Karen replied. "What are you doing?"

"We're having a picnic lunch actually," Olivia answered. She switched the camera view so that Karen could see the room. "Hi!" Karen!" "Hey, sweetheart," filled the room as the entire family spoke to her at once.

"Hey guys," Karen greeted as she saw her family members in one room. "If you're eating, I can call you back later."

She flipped the camera once more so that they were face-to-face. "No. No. you're fine. We've been waiting for your call. How's the packing?"

"Exhausting," she groaned.

"Are you almost done? You fly back to D.C. tonight, right?"

"Yep. I'm almost done. Everything is packed and ready to be shipped back home. I fly out in a few hours. I thought you were supposed to be gone already? Why are you still in Atlanta?"

"Weather. Flight delays. We'll leave in the morning," Olivia replied. Standing up from her spot on the floor, "Can you keep an eye on Charlotte," she asked Jerry and Amber, and they nodded in agreement. Olivia beckoned Fitz with a head nod, motioning him to follow her to his office. He jumped up and walked towards his office as she conversed with Karen. When they were alone with her in his office, he shut the door and took a seat behind his desk with Olivia on his lap. Olivia cut to the chase. "Have you spoken to Ally? Is she there?" she asked.

Karen rolled her eyes before explaining, "Yes. She's here."

"How is everything?" Fitz asked.

"Awkward. She will barely even look at me."

"But is it civil?" Olivia questioned.

"I wouldn't say that," Karen said with a nervous chuckle. "I told her that I think that she's a coward and a dumbass for trying to talk to that magazine. She called me a sellout for making a deal with the Brittons. She's ridiculous. All she wanted was 15 minutes of fame, so that she could walk around campus feeling cool because she partied with a Britton. I can't believe we were friends. Even if it only lasted a few months. I'm glad to be away from her. And she's still partying her life away. I've barely seen her since I've been here because she's out getting wasted every night, trying to latch on to some pseudo famous person to get noticed. It's pathetic."

"I'm glad you're getting away from her and that environment, honey. It's not healthy," Fitz said.

"Me too. I'm going to miss it though," Karen replied.

"Have you seen Melissa? She's back in school, right?" Olivia asked.

"Yep. She's here. She just left actually. I don't know how she's managing to stay here while on crutches and dealing with the Britton fiasco. The Britton's offered her a similar deal, but more money to pretend that she never dated Charles. She didn't take the deal. I thought that she would be mad that I did, but she's not."

"Well you know we've spoken to her parents quite a bit in preparation for your trip with their organization, and it seems like they really wanted her to stay in school, and to continue to have a normal life. They didn't want it to sidetrack her," Fitz said.

"I know, and it won't sidetrack her or me. Ally, I'm not so sure about. She likes this chaos. The drama of it all," Karen responded.

"Are you a little sad about leaving school?" Olivia asked.

"A little, but this seems like the next right step. I'm excited about Georgetown and going to school closer to home when I come back to the States. Thank you for everything you've done the last couple of weeks. I know it's been crazy to say the least, but I couldn't have done it without you both."

"You're welcome. We wouldn't have had it any other way," Olivia replied.

"Have you spoken to your mom? Is she in the loop about everything?" Fitz questioned.

Karen rolled her eyes. "I told her I was going to Thailand before I left when she dropped me off at Dulles. I don't know what else there is to know."

"Your reasons for going, your plans afterwards. Honey, these are things she needs to know, and you need to tell her," Fitz said seriously.

"I'm keeping her as updated as she needs to be. I'm telling her what she can handle. When I told her that I was leaving for Thailand, once she processed it, the first thing she said was _'Please don't fall in love there. You at least need to be with a man with a Bachelor's degree. Not some jobless missionary'_. And then she proceeded to ask, '_But you still want to be a doctor, right?_' And when I confirmed that I did she said, '_Don't change your mind and settle for some holistic bullshit_'. I mean who says that," Karen relayed, sounding completely frustrated.

"Honey, she just has high career ambitions for you. We both do," he tried to explain. Karen knew that, which is why she often opted to tell Olivia information first. There was far less pressure with her. She also knew that Olivia could soften any hard blows with her father.

"Anyway, I tried to tell her earlier, but she was busy with work stuff, so I couldn't have a proper sit-down. I'll do it when I'm back," Karen said confidently.

"Please promise me you'll talk to your mother," Fitz insisted.

"I promise."

"Good."

"I've got to run. I need to make sure all my stuff gets shipped before I leave," Karen said.

"Okay. Thanks for calling us. I'll see you back at the house tomorrow," Olivia responded.

"And I'll see you midweek, honey. I love you," Fitz added.

"Sounds good. Love you both. Bye," Karen finished before ending the call.

When her face disappeared from Olivia's screen, she put her phone away. She turned on his lap to face him.

"My little girl is just not a little girl," Fitz said.

"No she's not. She's a mature young woman. I think we should have a going away party for her before she leaves."

"That would be nice." Sighing deeply, "And my boy is a man who wants to start a dirt business," he added. "My children," he said shaking his head in disbelief about how much they were changing.

"Composting," Olivia corrected. "Don't you have a composting account? Aren't you doing their traditional media?"

Fitz smiled, loving how abreast she was of the on-goings of his company. "We do," he answered.

"Maybe you could get them some insider info."

"Perhaps. They never cease to surprise me. I'm going to have a good talk with Jim. He didn't inform me of how far their _hipsterisim_ had become."

She giggled and wrapped her arms around her neck and gave him an Eskimo kiss. "Did you catch Teddy feeding Charlotte?" she asked.

"No. I was too busy trying to understand how they plan on making a living creating compost."

"He's so good with her, and she apparently loves applesauce."

"I missed it. Hopefully, I'll catch a lot more of those moments. I'm going to ask Mellie to switch days with me."

"So you're sure about this?"

"I'm sure. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course. If this is what you want, if you think it's the best for Teddy, I'm on board."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly. "I'm glad I got to keep you for an extra night."

"Me too. Even if it does put me behind schedule next week."

"What do you have going on next week."

"What don't I have going on is the real question. We have a dozen, large sweet sixteen cakes, 2 wedding cakes, and a change of season menu switch-up at work. You and I have to meet with our realtor to decide on a house. I've scheduled a meeting with a contractor. We've got the small business gala just to name a few items on our agenda."

"I guess I should probably give you your gift while we have the time for it."

"My gift? What gift?" she questioned with a huge grin on her face.

With her in his lap, he scooted closer to his desk and opened his top drawer.

"I had to hide it from you. I know how you like to snoop," he informed her.

"I have NEVER snooped," she said defensively.

"You're right. You '_accidentally find_,' You accidentally found your Christmas presents and conveniently 'accidentally found' your birthday present last year," he corrected.

"I did! And I didn't mean to!" she replied with a frown.

"I know. I'm joking," he said as he pulled out an all too familiar black box.

"Sweetheart," she said with her hands covering her face in total surprise. Her heart raced when he unveiled a 3 carat, round diamond white gold necklace.

"What is this for?" she asked.

"I wanted you to have something nice to wear for your award's banquet. And I guess it's a thank you for everything you've done for us."

Completely shocked, she inspected the necklace, taking it out of his hands, and removed it from the box.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"I love it. I LOVE it." She put it around her neck and turned around so that he could clasp it.

"Thank you, baby," she said, utterly overwhelmed by the gift. She cupped his face in her hands, latched their lips, and wasted no time delving into their kiss. She hungrily sucked on his lips and eagerly took his tongue in her mouth. The moment she tried to pull away, he pulled her back. He picked her up, sat her down on the desk, and stood in between her legs while maintaining their lips' embrace. He moved his kisses down the column of her neck as she moved her fingers through his hair. She was losing herself to him with his every kiss, but when he bit her neck she was brought back to reality.

"Honey, honey," she pleaded, trying to get his attention. "We're getting carried away. The kids are down the hall." He halted his kisses only to pull her shirt up until he successfully lifted it over her head. He was moving so fast she barely had time to protest. When he reached around her to unclasp her bra, she stopped his movements with her hand.

"Sweetheart, no," she breathlessly managed to say.

When he pouted in response, she kissed his lips, smiling into their lip-lock, and pulled away. She looked at the French doors of his office and shook her head.

"Not down here," she said firmly.

In a haze of arousal, "But I want you," he whispered, leading her hand down to his growing erection.

"I know you do. I want you, too," she said with a giggle. "But not with the kids down the hall. Later," she conceded as she stood up and grabbed her shirt. Coming to his senses, he helped her put on her shirt and pulled her close to him.

"You couldn't possibly understand how you rile me up, woman."

"I beg to differ. I can understand," she replied, tugging him closer to her by his shirt and pulling him down so that she could nibble on his ear. "You do the same thing to me," she whispered.

"You can't tell me to wait until later and then do this," he said softly with his eyes closed.

"I can do what I want," she whispered.

"That's not fair. You hate it when I tease you," he complained.

She sucked on his ear before responding, "I like it sometimes."

He groaned at the feeling of her succulent lips on one of the most sensitive areas of his body. It was enticing yet frustrating to want her when they both knew he couldn't have her. He wanted to push her away, but he was incapable.

"Livvie, you're killing me," he said.

"Okay. I'm done," she conceded with a smile. She kissed his lips quickly and pushed away from him.

"Let's finish our picnic," she said as she hopped off to the desk and pulled him out of the room.

* * *

><p>Mondays were always hectic at the office, but this Monday was made worse by having to say goodbye to his family at the airport. Olivia was more bummed than usual about their departure, which affected Charlotte's mood. He wanted the next couple of days in Atlanta to fly by so that he could return to D.C. Some of his board members flew down for a huge meeting, so his presence and focus was necessary at the office.<p>

Sitting in one of the longest meetings he held in months, he couldn't believe the strides and growth his company was making. It was difficult to be fully present at work and comprehend his company's stellar growth when his home life had taken over in such a massive way. They were in early discussions of a company expansion. Currently, they were in the third hour of discussing buying Emerge, a local advertising and marketing company. It was simultaneously unnerving, stressful and exciting.

"Fitz, it's a great, small company. They're young, go-getters, but they can't keep themselves a float," his newly appointed CFO Scott explained.

"What are their operating costs?" Fitz asked.

"Close to $15,000," Scott explained.

"A month? That's crazy for a company so small," Fitz said firmly.

"They're operating costs are expensive, but they have fantastic clients who are willing to move with them. We would obviously keep them down when we buy them."

Shaking his head, "What are their monthly billings?" Fitz inquired.

"They're doing marketing and advertising for a software company that brings in an estimated 2 million dollars a year in annual billings," Scott explained.

"What are their monthly billings?" Fitz asked more sternly the second time around.

"$200,000."

"What? That makes no sense if they have a 2 million dollar a year client. How many other large clients do they have? One? Two?"

"Basically."

Fitz sighed and rubbed his temple. "Why are we even bothering trying to absorb this company? For a two million dollar client? I could poach that software client in a minute and buy them out of their contract with Emerge."

"The client has potential to bring in 3-5 million dollars a year within the next 6 months to a year. The reason Emerge has not been able to grow is because the client takes all of their resources. They know this software company inside and out. Emerge is a great ad company. The software company seems to feel some form of loyalty to them. If it's not with Emerge, the software company will probably create their own in-house advertising department."

"What's stopping them for doing it now?"

"Operating costs of establishing an ad or marketing department. They can't bring 3-5 million dollars in billings without bigger revenue, but we can help them achieve that with our resources and Emerge's expertise. We've been talking about adding 10 to 15 more people here anyway. I say we make a deal."

Fitz could see his receptionist Leslie peep inside a a conference room window. He motioned for her to come inside. "Mr. Grant," Leslie interrupted. "Mrs. Grant is calling on line two."

"Thanks. Leslie."

"Scott, draw up some numbers to make the buy." "Marsha, schedule a meeting with legal." "Lauren, do some research on this software company and write a proposal. Good work, everyone," he said before standing up and practically sprinting to his office to answer his wife's call.

He wasn't sure what the call was in reference to, but he knew that it had be important for her to interrupt a meeting.

"Livvie, is everything okay. Was your flight okay?"

"The flight was great. Jerry just called and he and Amber are back in Connecticut. I dropped of Teddy at school. He was a few hours late, but he's there. I left Char with Shirley, and now I'm at the office."

"Good. Good. So what's up?"

"The house in Kent. We've got to make an offer today. There's another family interested."

He sighed and pushed his hands through his hair. "What does the realtor think we should do?"

"She thinks we should make an offer under the asking price. She thinks 1.1 because there were major problems in the home inspection and their overpriced. I just need your okay. Is this the one?"

He opened his lap top and pulled up pictures of the home. He thought about before a moment, but came to a conclusion quickly. "I think this is the one. Let's just do it."

She took a breath. She was certain that he could feel her smiling through the phone. "Okay. House in Kent it is. I'll call our agent. She should get back to us soon."

"Great. Sounds good."

"I'm so excited, babe," she said

"I know you are. Let's hope we get it," he said dryly.

"Honey, are you okay?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah. Just a lot of stuff happening at the office."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I'll fill you in when I leave."

"Alright. I'll keep you updated on the house," she said before getting off of the phone.

He took a moment to try to process everything that he was being hit with. Between buying a new home, and buying a new company, his head was spinning. He rolled his eyes when he saw that Leslie was buzzing him. He picked up the phone trying to hide his annoyance.

"Yes, Leslie" he answered.

"Ms. Mellie Grant, is on line two. Do you want to take it?"

He threw his head back and groaned. "Put her through," he said.

"Hey, Mellie, what's going on?"

"Not much. I just wanted to talk to you about Teddy's Parent-teacher conference tomorrow."

"What about it?"

"I'm not going to be able to be there. I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"What? Mellie, you know I can make it to that one. I told you months ago that it was the only one I wouldn't be able to make. I'm paneling at a conference tomorrow. I'm in Atlanta for a few more days, you know that. Why can't you make it?"

"I have a deposition. I don't know how long it will last. You know how these things go. I wasn't planning it on it. I forgot you were going to be out of town. I just assumed you'd be there."

"Not this time."

"I guess we'll just have to reschedule another time to meet with his teacher."

Sighing and rubbing his temple, "I guess so," he replied before a thought quickly came to him. "Wait. What time is it? If it's after 5:30, Olivia can go."

"Absolutely not, Fitz. It's Parent-Teacher conference not step-mom-who-doesn't-know-her-place conference."

"Geez Mellie, we've been through this. You need to show her some respect. I have had about enough of these bullshit stunts you've been pulling with her and the utter lack of respect you've shown her. It's childish."

"Don't lecture me. I don't have the time. I'm not calling for this."

"No. You will hear me. I don't know how many times we have to have this conversation, but we have it until it becomes crystal clear. I will not tolerate you berating my wife, calling her out of her name, trying to bully her, harassing her in public, and being an overall nuisance. It's ridiculous. Whatever jealously you have, you need to get over it. You should be grateful that your children have such a supportive, caring, loving figure in their life."

"You can say whatever you want. You can act all high and mighty and act like I'm the bad guy in this, but she needs to learn her role. She needs to learn boundaries."

"Boundaries? That's funny. Name a single time she's crossed these boundaries you speak of."

"Uh. Karen's abortion."

"Karen came to her. Karen came to her first might I add."

"Talking her into going to Thailand."

"Karen came to her about Thailand."

"Jerry's proposal."

"Jerry emailed her. I can forward you the email if you'd like. Are you seeing a pattern here? Our children come to her. Not you and barely even me. That's not her fault. She's amazing with our children. You can try to take that away from her to make yourself feel better, but I know you know the truth. And I can't stand for you acting like she's the Wicked Witch of the West, like she's trying steal your children. It's nonsensical."

"I didn't call to argue with you. I just wanted to discuss Teddy."

"This all comes back to Teddy. We need to be on the same page. Not just you and me, but Olivia, as well. She's going to be in Teddy's life. She's going to have a hand in it for the next ten years. This what it is. It's not changing. So get over your hang ups with her. Get over whatever petty jealousy you have and make it work with her for Teddy's sake."

"Fine. Fitz, whatever."

"It's not whatever. This is serious. Teddy wants to live with us full time."

"WHAT? ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

"Mellie, calm down. I'm just telling what he wants."

"He doesn't know what he wants. He's eight! She probably put this in his head."

"Don't be this dense. Please. He came to me and said he wants to live with us."

"Why?" she asked on the brink of tears.

"He's not use to being the only child. I think he feels lonely."

"That is ridiculous," she said defensively.

"It's not ridiculous. He has a seven month old sister that he adores and wants to spend more time with. I have to be honest, I don't think it's a bad idea."

"Of course you don't. You and your wife are trying to erase me from my children's life, and I won't tolerate it."

"We're doing no such thing. I'm just telling you what he wants. We need to figure this thing out."

"There's nothing to figure out. It's not happening."

"Why? Tell me why this is such a terrible idea."

"I'm his mother. That's all the reason he needs. He's not staying with you full time. That's not fair!"

"I'm not saying full time. Let's just swap days. You take weekends. I'll take weekdays. That's fair. And I think it will be to his benefit. He feels like he's missing out by not being with me during the weekday."

"No. Absolutely not. I don't want to discuss it anymore."

"Well you are. We need to get this thing straight."

"We have a custody agreement in place."

"It's unofficial, and you know that. You don't want me to make it official."

"Is that a threat?"

"Take it how you want. I just want to do the best thing for Teddy."

"The best thing for Teddy is being with his mom."

"His mom or his babysitter?" he questioned in an accusatory tone. "How many long nights have you worked this week, Mellie? How many nights are you cooped up in your office until it's past his bedtime?"

"How many long nights have you worked? How many days are you in Atlanta during a month? I work. I'm on a partner track. This is nothing new, and I won't apologize for it. Don't try to pull some sexist stunt on me, Fitz, and pretend like I should work less because I'm his mom. Get real."

"This isn't me being sexist. This is me being real. I'm typically home by 5:30 every night. I'm in Atlanta a week or a week and a half out of the month. And that's worst case scenario. What I'm saying is your work schedule is becoming more demanding. You know it, and I know it. We could ignore that fact when Karen and Jerry were at home because they could help take care of him, but now we can't. You can pretend otherwise, but it's the truth."

"What are you trying to say? I should work less?"

"I'm saying let me have weekdays. You take weekends. On the weeks that I'm in Atlanta, he can stay with you. Be reasonable about this. This would help you out as well."

"No."

Fitz took a moment to breathe. Silence filled the line while took a minute to think. He could hear her sighing in the background before he finally spoke again. "So I thought I would take the route were I would pretend to give you options, pretend to allow you to think about the matter and come to a rational decision on your own, but I guess I can't because you're being ridiculous. You know this is the best thing for him. You're being pigheaded and allowing your jealousy over my wife to cloud you're judgment."

"Screw you."

"He's staying with me during the week, and that's the end of it."

"Like hell he will."

"Do you want to have a long, drawn out custody battle? Is that really what you want? Do you want our divorce hashed out again? The real reasons to be a part of the public record? That's what you want? Because that's what will happen. I will make sure of it."

"You would never."

"I don't want to, but I will. I wouldn't have brought up our living situation if Teddy didn't say anything. Our custody agreement isn't working for him, so it's not working for me. I'll be back in D.C. on Wednesday. I'll pick him and his things up. Sound good?"

"Whatever," she said before hanging up the phone. He knew she had to be calling from her work phone by the of the sound of her slamming the phone on the receiver.

"That could have gone better," he said to himself.

When he looked at his phone, he noticed that his assistant was buzzing him again.

"Leslie, hold all of my calls for the rest of the afternoon," he answered before giving her a chance to speak.

"Mrs. Grant is on the line. She's been holding for at least five minutes," Leslie explained.

"Okay. Put her through."

"Livvie, what's going on?" he asked when he heard the call connect.

"Honey, we got the house! They accepted our offer!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I rewrote the Karen stuff so that it would fit well with what's going on in Atlanta. We will have more of her before she leaves for Thailand. We also get see a little more of Amber and Jerry. Thoughts on them and the picnic lunch? I wanted a scene with Fitz at work because we haven't had many of those in this story. It looks like Mellie and Fitz are switching days whether Mellie likes it or not. Thoughts there? Was he too harsh? Thoughts on how Teddy will adjust? Fitz is expanding his Atlanta office. And it looks like they got a house! A LOT of stuff happening! Let me know what you think! <strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: ****Happy Super Bowl Sunday! Happy reading before the big game, football fans! Go whoever's playing (I don't watch the sports). **

* * *

><p>Olivia was trying her hardest to temper her child like excitement, but as she sat with her husband in a meeting with a contractor for their newly purchased home in Kent, her outward enthusiasm was hard to control. This was their third meeting with a builder, and finding the right person to renovate their home was turning into a bigger headache than they could have imagined. Just when they were beginning to grow frustrated with potential contractors, their realtor led them to Marcus, a 28 year old builder from Alexandria. They agreed to meet Marcus after a brief phone conference call a few days prior with him and his team about what they were looking for in their home. Because of Fitz's increasingly demanding work schedule, Marcus agreed to meet them at Fitz's office. Marcus was in the middle of presenting his renovation proposal and visual plans. Olivia was immediately impressed when he provided two presentation books with design plans, layouts and inspiration photos for them. She eagerly flipped through the pages as he shared his thoughts for the home.<p>

"So if you turn to page seven," Marcus began. "You'll see the plans for your kitchen. This is where the biggest changes will happen Wall A will be removed entirely to open up the kitchen to your dining room. We'll remove Wall B, which currently houses your fridge and pantry. We'll add storage to Wall C. We'll also add two ovens and dual islands, one for prep and cook and one for dining and sitting. Of course, we'll have stainless steel, commercial appliances as you requested in the email, Mr. Grant."

"You requested stainless steel, commercial appliances, babe?" Olivia asked her husband. She was surprised that he provided any input in the kitchen. Though he knew his way around their kitchen, he didn't use it nearly as much now that they were married.

"I thought it would be useful for you. It would give you more space, and if you wanted to work from home, you could. It would give you some flexibility in any future maternity leaves."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness and nodded her head. "I think that's a great idea," she agreed.

"So stainless and commercial it is," Marcus confirmed. "We want to maximize your natural light and open up the space, so we'll add new windows, French doors. I'd recommend a quartz countertop for you and your family since you do so much cooking and baking. It can be a little costly, but it's fairly easy to maintain. It's also quite durable."

"I love that!" Olivia said excitedly. It delighted Fitz to see her so visibly enthused.

"Let's skip to the bedroom," Fitz suggested. Olivia smirked at him, and he gave her a suggestive look in response.

"Okay. So for the Master we want to give it more character. Mr. Grant, I know you like a modern look while Mrs. Grant likes traditional, so we'll go with Transitional design choices. We'll go with a neutral wall color and add crown molding. For your bathroom, we'll tear out your tub…"

"We have to have a tub," Fitz said adamantly. The idea of not having a place to relax with his wife did not sit well with him.

"You'll have one. We'll replace it with a free standing tub and we'll install a two person shower."

"What about the carpet?" Olivia asked. "It has to go. All of it. I don't want any sign of it."

"We'll replace it with dark oak throughout the house."

"What about the basement? What are you thinking we should do with it?" Olivia asked.

"If you turn to page 15 to 18, you'll see various options. We could turn it into another living room, an adult lounging space, a spare bedroom, a playroom, a game room or an office."

Olivia smiled at the possibilities and looked to her husband. "I was thinking a playroom for the kids," she said.

"Really? Because I was thinking an adult playroom for us," Fitz said.

She smirked and shook at her head at her husband. "I think we'll need a few days to talk about it and think about it," Olivia said to Marcus.

"Okay. Just get back to me when you decide, and we'll be able to give you a better timeline of when everything should be completed."

"Without the basement done, how long are you thinking renovations will take?" Fitz asked.

"I'd say 8 weeks."

"Okay. That's not too bad," Olivia said.

"How much are we looking at?"

"With your high end materials and taking into account any unforeseen issues, I'd say 150 to 200K. But page 20 shows the details of the renovation budget," Marcus answered.

"Alright. Well my wife and I have a lot to discuss. We'll call you back by the end of the week to let you know if you won the bid," Fitz explained.

"Sounds good," Marcus said with a smile. It was the first time Olivia noticed how bright his smile was. She struck by his eyes, which were the exact same color as Charlotte's. His skin tone was a warm brown that made his eye color stand out even more. He had the facial features of a model, but a body of a man who spent his time working with hard materials. It looked firm and strong.

Fitz and Olivia stood to shake Marcus' hand and walked him out of the office. They made small talk until they reached the elevator and watched him depart. Fitz grabbed Olivia's hand and walked with her back to his office. Olivia noticed the stares and smiles they received as they walked hand-in-hand. Fitz was a fair, easy-going boss most of the time, but the vibe of the office always changed as did his demeanor whenever Olivia or his children were present. He was noticeably happier and far less stressed out.

Olivia was thrilled with their meeting and was anxious to get started on the renovation. She was happy that her husband seemed genuinely on board with their decision."I really wish your office didn't have glass walls," Olivia said as they walked down his office's corridors.

"Why?" Fitz asked. "It helps with productivity," he noted.

"I know, but I want to kiss you. _Really_ kiss you, but I think we'd give a show if I did that in your office," she whispered as they walked down the hall to his office.

When they walked right past his office door, she knew exactly where he was taking her. He was walking with her so briskly her knee length skirt whisked around her. They continued walking until they reached a small conference room, one of the only room besides the bathrooms that wasn't separated by glass. It was typically reserved for legal and board meetings because it allowed for more privacy.

"After you," he said as he punched in a key code to open the door.

"What are we doing?" she asked mischievously as he wrapped his arms around her once the door was shut.

"You wanted to kiss me so kiss me."

She smiled and leaned in to kiss him the way she wanted to, as if they were in their home, with their bodies pressed together, her fingers in his hair, his hands on her ass and their tongues sweeping in each other's mouths.

When she moaned into his mouth, he walked them to the head of the conference table. He took a seat in a large plush chair and brought her down to straddle him. She moved her kisses from his lips to the spot on his neck that drove him crazy, knowingly and carelessly leaving evidence of her attraction to him. His hands went around her body and up her skirt until he could plant his palms on her ass, kneading it until she moaned. When he loudly groaned as she palmed his erection over his slacks, she pulled away, realizing they were getting carried away. He tried to pull her back to him, but she moved back while still sitting on his lap and shook her head.

She tried to get her thoughts together, focusing on the reason she was at his office in the first place.

"What'd you think of Marcus?" she asked when they both regained their breath.

"I liked him. He seems knowledgeable, detail-oriented. Loved that presentation book."

"I did, too. I want to hire him. I think he's the one, sweetheart," Olivia said confidently.

"I think we should give that budget a once over. He's about $30,000 more than the other builders."

"I know, but I love his other work. And I love his warranty plan, and I'd rather pay extra to know that it's done right."

"But he seems so young."

"But he's been doing this since he was 16, honey."

"He doesn't look any like a contractor I've ever seen."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He raised an eyebrow as if she should have known what he was referring to, and she smiled knowing where he was going with his remark.

"He's looks like..."

Olivia laughed and shook her head. "I don't care what he looks like I love his plans, and he seems smart," she interjected before he could finish.

"He does," Fitz hesitantly agreed.

"So is it him? Do you like him enough to hire him?" she asked.

He took a moment to think about it.

"Considering that you'll probably be the one overseeing a lot of the project, I'm going to say yes."

She squealed, smiled widely and then leaned into kiss him.

"Thank you," she said as she broke their kiss.

She took his face in her hands, which had all the evidence of his exhaustion. There was no doubt that their family had a lot going on. No sooner did they get the keys to their new home were they meeting with contractors. Teddy had just moved in. Karen only had a few more weeks in D.C. before moving to Thailand. He was slightly worried about Amber and Jerry's co-dependence. Things between him and Mellie were more tense than ever. And on top of that, Charlotte was growing so quickly he felt like he was missing small moments. He couldn't even begin to think about everything that was happening at work. His chest grew tighter just thinking about it.

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked as she stroked his hair.

"I'm fine."

"Fitz," she scolded softly knowing that he wasn't fine. "Talk to me," she insisted.

"There's just a lot going on at once. I'm just trying to wrap my head around all of it. Between the kids and work, " he started then sighed. "I'm just trying to stay levelheaded."

"I know it's a lot right now, but all the kids are happy and healthy. Teddy loves it with us, Karen's getting the peace of mind she needs. Jerry is over the moon with Amber. He's doing so well in school. And Charlotte is as perfect as ever, baby. The kids are fine so that's all that really matters."

He tried to see it that way, but it didn't feel that simple. "It just feels like it's going to keep getting harder, especially when you get pregnant and with the construction with this house and selling the old one. It's becoming a headache"

"Your family is a headache to you all of a sudden?" she asked defensively.

"No. That's not what I meant," he said with a sigh.

"You're sending me mixed signals. You agree on the house, it was your idea to do get the fixer upper, and now you don't want it?" she questioned "Sometimes you show that you're excited about it, and then sometimes you don't. And then, you say you want another baby, but then you keep reminding me of how hard it's going to be. Baby, what do you want?"

"I want to not feel like the walls are closing in. I want to feel like I have some control with everything that's going on. It's all happening so quickly. As soon we give Marcus the go ahead, we're going to be in the throes of a renovation, trying to sell a home, taking care of an 8 year old and an 8 month old, all while trying for a new a baby. And on top of all of this, I'll have to be in Atlanta a few more days out of the month to make sure this expansion goes okay."

"I know it's a lot. More than we've ever had going on at once, but everything will work itself out I promise. Remember what you told me? That we'll figure it out and that you needed me to be strong for you? I need you to be strong for me."

"I think I just need some time with you. Just you and me," he said desperately.

"Okay. We can make that happen," she said assuredly.

She took a moment to think before speaking again. "Why don't we fly out to Santa Barbara this weekend. It's last minute, but we can make it work. We could stay at the beach house. Teddy will be with Mellie. Charlotte could come with us, but your parents could spend some time with her. We could leave Friday night right after my awards banquet and fly out on Monday morning if your schedule permits. It will give Mellie an extra day with Teddy, which I'm sure she'll love."

"Alright. I'll just have to check with Marsha to make sure my Monday morning is cleared."

"Just breathe," she instructed. She looked at him pointedly until he took a deep breath in and exhaled. She smiled and kissed him, holding him by the back of the neck so that she could give him a thorough kiss. He placed his hands on her ass and brought her closer to him, trying to find relief in her lips. When he tapped her ass, she whimpered into his mouth. They were so engrossed in their kiss and embrace, they didn't hear the door open. It wasn't until Fitz heard a deep gasp that he realized that they weren't alone. "Oh god," he said, causing Olivia to turn her head. When she noticed Lauren and Fitz's legal team standing before him, her stomach dropped and her skin heated. She hopped up from her husband's lap and tried to get herself together.

"Sorry. We're sorry. I was just leaving," she said as she tried to excuse herself, feeling mortified. She had never felt more like a teenager getting caught doing something naughty than in that moment. Fitz stood up and straightened his shirt before quickly grabbing his wife by the hand to halt her hasty movements. Fitz shook his head and tried to hide his grin when he heard snickers from his senior legal advisers. He knew that he wouldn't hear the end of it.

"I'll be back in a minute. Don't start without me," Fitz said seriously as he was pulled out of the room by his wife. She stormed to his office with him on her heels and shut the door. She tried her best to compose herself, fixing her disheveled her with her fingers, straightening her blouse. He laughed when they finally made eye contact.

"It's not funny, Fitzgerald!"

"It's a little funny. That's what happens when you can't keep your hands to yourself."

"Will we ever learn?" she joked.

He moved toward her and wrapped his arms around her. At his point, he didn't care about their show of affection through the glass walls. "What would that lessen be?"

"To not make-out in public places."

"I don't like that lesson at all."

She shook her head and playfully rolled her eyes.

"We'll finish this at home. We'll talk about the plans for the house later and then _maybe_ I'll make out with you in the privacy of our bedroom," he said.

She nodded in agreement and pecked his lips. She moved out of his grasp to gather her belongings. "Go to your meeting. I'll see you at the house," she replied before trying to leave his office. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to him.

"Hey, I love you."

"I love you too," she replied.

* * *

><p>When Fitz returned home later that evening, he was met by the smells of baked ziti. "Livvie," he yelled from the foyer.<p>

"In the kitchen," he heard faintly. As he made his way to the kitchen, he was surprised to see Shirley seated with Charlotte at the island while Olivia prepared their meal.

"Hi, honey," Olivia greeted as she made a salad on the opposite side of the island.

"Hi," he said, moving close to her. When he was close enough, she puckered her lips, and he placed a chaste kiss on them.

"Shirley is staying over for dinner tonight," Olivia explained before he had a chance to ask.

"Great. We've been wanting to do this for a while, but our schedules have been bananas," he explained. "How are you, Ms. Shirley?" he asked.

"Good. And yourself?"

"Better now that I know that we get to spend a little time with you," he said with a smile. He took Charlotte out of Shirley's arms and kissed her nose. "How was my butterball today?"

"Great as always."

He tossed Charlotte up in the air and caught her much to her delight.

"Were you good for Ms. Shirley today?" he asked his beaming daughter. She laughed and smiled in his arms, excited to be reunited with her father.

Her giggles and babbles grew louder as her father played with her. It was the loudest she'd been since Olivia had arrived home from work. Olivia smiled and moved closer to her husband and daughter. She kissed Charlotte's lips, loving how happy she was. "Are you excited to see daddy?" she asked. "You weren't this excited to see me."

"Yeah well you just leave this room and see how distraught she becomes," Fitz said. "She might be excited to see me, but she is horrified to see you leave," he added.

Shirley took in scene in front of her. It was a joy to see such a happy family. She had worked with many families and every dynamic was different. Sometimes she felt like a vital part of the family and sometimes she didn't. Sometimes she felt like the parents were jealous of the time she spent with the children she took care of, and sometimes parents she worked for showed no interest in their children a all. The Grants were different. She noticed that Fitz and Olivia balanced each other out. When Olivia became high strung about Charlotte, Fitz soothed her and vice versa. Charlotte was one of the more mild tempered babies she nannied, and Shirley was certain that it was partly because of how much love, affection and attention her parents showed her. Charlotte was learning to reciprocate that love and affection, and it was delightful to see.

"I think it's safe to say that she adores you both," Shirley interjected.

They smiled at Shirley's compliment. "Honey, can you set the table?" Olivia asked as she finished preparing dinner.

"Sure," he replied, passing Charlotte back to Shirley. "Where's Teddy?" he asked, grabbing utensils and dishware from the cabinet.

"He's playing video games," Olivia answered.

"What?"

"He's playing video games upstairs," Olivia repeated.

"I heard you. But he's not allowed to play video games during the week," he said seriously while placing forks and plates around the table.

"Oh. Well I didn't know."

"We want him to focus on his homework, and all the toys he has and the books he should be reading during the week. He can play video games on the weekend."

"Baby, that's probably something you should have told me sooner. How was I supposed to know?"

"You weren't which is why I'm telling you now."

"Okay. No video games during the week," Olivia noted for herself and Shirley.

"I'll go get Teddy," Fitz said when he finished setting the table. He made his way upstairs and found Teddy playing video games in Jerry's room.

"Bud, are you supposed to be playing video games on school nights?" Fitz questioned sternly.

"Mom let's me," Teddy said bashfully as he put his controller down.

"Mom let's you? I don't think so, bud. It's her rule."

"She does!" he said adamantly.

Fitz shook his head, annoyed hat Mellie hadn't communicated that with him. He made a mental note to chat with her about it the next time they spoke. It was difficult to enforce the rules with Teddy when they weren't on the same page about them.

He took Teddy's word on Mellie allowing him to play video games, but still didn't want him playing them. "Well I'll have to talk to her about it. It's time for dinner. Get freshened up and come down stairs," he said before leaving his room.

He went back downstairs and took a seat beside Charlotte who was already seated in her highchair. He patiently waited for everyone to take their places at the dinner table and plate their food. He began to feed Charlotte as everyone settled at the table.

"Highs and lows everyone. What was high and low of your day? You start Teddy" Fitz said once everyone was seated. Olivia passed the salad bowl to Shirley after scooping out a portion on her plate and Teddy's.

"My high was getting to play the drums in music class. It was my turn today," Teddy answered.

"What song did you play?" Olivia asked.

"I can't remember. A bunch of different ones," he answered as he tried to recall them.

"Why do you like playing the drums?" Olivia questioned.

"It's fun and it's loud. When you play the drums everyone can hear you the best," Teddy explained.

Olivia chuckled at his explanation and asked, "And what about your low?"

He took a moment to answer. "I had to move my car to yellow," he said bashfully with his head down.

"Why? What happened, bud?" Fitz asked while feeding Charlotte and taking bites of his own meal.

"I was talking while Ms. Williams was talking."

"Why were you talking when the teacher was talking?"

"Because Spencer asked me a question."

"And you couldn't wait to answer until after the teacher finished speaking?" Fitz questioned.

"I didn't know she was going to start talking when me and Spencer were talking."

"Spencer and I," Fitz corrected. "Bud, just try not to talk when your teacher is talking in the future. You need to pay attention to what she's saying."

"Okay," he said quietly.

Wanting to shift the focus off of Teddy who seemed to be embarrassed to have his behavior corrected in front of everyone, Olivia turned to Shirley. "What about you Shirley? High and low for today," Olivia said cheerfully.

"Oh goodness," Shirley stated as to started to contemplate the happenings of her day. She beamed before she could even speak. "I found out that I'm going to be a grandmother a few weeks ago, and today I found out it's a boy."

"Shirley, that's great!"

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"I'm a little embarrassed because I didn't realize you had children," Fitz said.

"Yes, a daughter and a son," Olivia informed her husband.

"That's just wonderful. Is it your first grandchild?"

"Yes!" she answered excitedly.

"Do your children live in the area?" Fitz wondered.

"No. They're both on the West Coast."

Shirley's joy over her grandchild was infectious. Olivia thought about how excited she and Fitz would be to tell their parents about another grandchild once she finally conceived. Seeing Shirley's enthusiasm made her even more anxious for a baby, especially a baby boy.

"What about your low?" Fitz asked, interrupting Olivia's thoughts.

"Today was such a great day between the baby news and Charlotte having a good say, but I guess I would say not being able to be there when my daughter found out the news."

"Shirley, if you ever need time off to be with your daughter just let us know. We understand. We can make other arrangements," Olivia explained.

"Thanks I appreciate that," she said sincerely.

"And you Mrs. Grant? High and low," Fitz said.

She smiled at her husband and looked to her daughter whose mouth was wide open as she waited for her next spoonful of peas. "Easy. My high is hiring a contractor for our new home. Low is," she started and then stopped. In truth, her low was getting caught making out with her husband in a conference room, but she couldn't say that in front of Teddy.

"My low is not being able to spend the day with Charlotte and Teddy," she said. "And you, babe?" she asked her husband.

"I would say getting to have dinner with Ms. Shirley tonight is my high. I don't get to spend time with you very often," Fitz said genuinely. Shirley blushed as he spoke. "The low is everything happening with this expansion at work. It's consuming right now," he said honestly.

Olivia pouted at him, hating that he was feeling stressed at work and knowing that there was nothing she could to do to change it.

"Wait!" Teddy said finally processing what Olivia said previously.

"We're getting a new house?" he asked with his eyebrows furrowed.

Olivia looked to Fitz, not knowing to what to say, realizing that they hadn't told any of the children about their new home and their renovation plans.

"We are, bud," Fitz started hesitantly.

"Really?" he said excitedly. "Where?"

"It's actually in Spencer's neighborhood," Fitz explained.

"So we will be neighbors?"

"Sort of you. He's down the street from us."

"Can I have a Spiderman room?"

"You can have whatever room you want," Olivia answered.

He beamed at the idea. "When can we move?" he asked.

"Not for a few months," Fitz replied in between feeding Charlotte.

"Are we going to have a pool?" Teddy asked excited.

Fitz looked to Olivia who seemed to give him a nod confirming that they would have a pool.

"We are."

"AWESOME!" he yelled so loudly he started his sister.

Seeing his son's enthusiasm made Fitz genuinely excited about the home process again instead of feeling overwhelmed by all that it would take to get their home to the place that he and Olivia desired. It was the first time that Fitz felt truly at ease all day. He looked at his wife while he continued to feed his daughter and found that Olivia's glowing expression also seemed to relax him. During their dinner together, he noticed that his wife and children seemed to really adore Shirley. He was delighted and relieved that they hired the right nanny for their daughter. They spent the rest of the evening chatting about their day and spending time as a family. He couldn't think of a better way to end the day.

* * *

><p>"Do you think it's going to be hard this time?" Olivia asked quietly as she rested beside her husband in their bed.<p>

Her question came completely out of the blue. He had just turned the lamp off next to his side table and settled under the comforter after working for longer than he expected from his laptop. He thought that she had already fallen asleep as he approved project plans next to her.

"What?" he asked, unable to hear her clearly.

"Getting pregnant. Do you think it's going to be harder?" she asked with her back still facing him.

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Okay," she said exasperatedly.

"Are you worried about it?"

When she didn't say anything, he turned her body to face him and immediately noticed her watery eyes.

"Livvie, what's wrong?" he asked as he stroked her side.

"Nothing."

"Not nothing if you're on the brink of tears. Honey, what's going on? Are you worried about not being able to conceive?" After Charlotte, he didn't think it was a real concern for her. In truth, it wasn't a real concern until today when Shirley shared the news of her grandchild. The anxiety was compounded by Fitz's brief, casual mention of how trying for a baby was on his list of things worrying him.

"I just wonder if it's going to come easy like with Charlotte or if it will be like times in the past. We've been trying for a month and a half, and I'm not pregnant yet."

"I don't know how it will be this time, but I do know that these things take time. I don't want you worrying every month about it. It will happen when it happens."

"It will _not_ happen when it happens, Fitz. That's not how it works. Sometimes it never happens for couples."

"I've thought about this a lot today, and there's a chance that me trying this time around could end up like…"

"Please don't say you and Edison because it's not the same. You and Edison weren't meant to have a baby. You and I _are_. We're going to have more children no matter how difficult or long it takes to conceive."

"But Fitz, what if I can't?" she said with tears spilling over. The thought of going through what she went through with Edison scared her. Every failed pregnancy test with him felt like an additional crack in their marriage.

He wiped her tears away and looked at her intently. "What are you asking, Liv? Even if you can't carry a baby we can have a surrogate or we could adopt. You know that. The idea that we can't have more children seems a little far-fetched. We have so many options."

"What if I don't want do any of those things?"

"Then I guess we won't," he replied in a somber tone. "Are you not open to those ideas anymore?" he asked, not truly wanting to the answer, fearing her response would disappoint him.

"I didn't think I needed to be after Charlotte. I honestly didn't think those were options I needed to consider. But maybe I'll have to just accept that Charlotte could be the only child I carry. That should feel like enough, but it's doesn't. It's not."

"Livvie, I understand that this is something that would naturally come to mind during this process, but I don't want you stressing over this. We've only recently started trying. Let's just be patient," he said, fully scooping her up in his arms.

"I am being patient. I'm not in a huge hurry. I just worry that it won't happen as easy as the last time, and that scares me because it was such a rough process before, and it can really take a toll on a marriage."

"If it's harder than we expected, you and I will get through it no matter what. We will be fine come what may, alright?"

She nodded and closed her eyes. He took that opportunity to kiss he eyelids, garnering soft giggles from her. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. She truly took his breath away with her beauty, even when doubt and worry covered her features.

"You are everything I ever wanted in a wife," he said sincerely. "Literally everything."

"You always know what to say."

"Oh you think this is just lip service?"

"No. I know you mean it."

"I was about to say…I can show you lip service."

"Can you now?"

"Mmmhmm," he replied before kissing her slowly.

She pulled back her from their kiss, but cupped his face, keeping him close to her. "Babe, what do you think we should do about the basement for the new house? What should we do with it?"

He groaned and shook his head. He would never understand how her brained worked, how she could go from kissing him and being affectionate to worrying about their house in the same moment. "I don't know. Whatever you want," he answered trying to kiss her again.

"I want a playroom for the kids, but I'm nervous about not having them on the main floor. I was thinking maybe we could make we could put Jerry and Karen's room down there, so the kids could have a playroom on the main floor."

"I don't want to talk about this right now. Just want to kiss you," he said trying to grab her lips with his. She dodged his advances and looked at him pensively.

"Seriously," she said quietly. Knowing that she wouldn't allow him to kiss her until he gave her some sort of response, he sat up to give her his full attention.

He sighed and said, "Before I answer, I really need to know how your mind goes from kissing to renovations. I just have to know."

She giggled and replied, "Well when you kissed me, it reminded me of kissing you in your office and getting caught. And then, I started thinking that your tongue tastes different than earlier in your office. And then I was reminded by the coffee we had before our meeting with Marcus, which made me think of the renovations."

"Wow," he said, shaking his head at her train of thought.

"Back to the basement," she said seriously.

"I don't like the idea of Charlotte playing alone in the basement at all. She needs to be able to hear us when we're calling her," he said.

"We'll also have an intercom system. Don't forget," she reminded him.

"Still. It's too far away from us. When she gets older and has friends over, I don't like the idea of them just hanging out in the basement."

"So what about a bedroom down there for Jerry?" She questioned.

"It's such a big space. That would be a pretty large bedroom."

"We can add a bathroom."

He thought about it briefly and nodded. "I think that would work."

"Good. I do too," she said with a huge smile on her face.

"Can I kiss you now?"

"I guess. If you must," she jokingly groaned and replied with faux dread.

"Never mind then," he said, feigning hurt. He reclined in the bed and turned away from her.

She giggled and hovered over him as he rested on his side. "Kiss me," she demanded softly.

"Nope," he said in a stubborn tone.

She used all of her strength to push him until he was resting on his back before climbing on top of him. She licked his lips playfully and then buried her face in his neck. Normally his hands would have clung to her body the moment she was on top of him, but this time he refrained.

"Hold me," she said pleadingly. He smiled and shook his head no. She pouted and gave him her best version of a pained expression. "Please," she said softly.

Without a second thought, his hands wrapped around her back as he held her close. She smiled when she felt his hands slide to her ass.

"You can't resist me," she teased.

"Never," he replied. He picked up where they left off moments prior, kissing her slowly and kneading her skin, fully enjoying the feel of her lips and the quiet whimpers and gasps that left her mouth.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I would call this another small momentscharacter chapter versus plot with getting to know Shirley and adjusting to having Teddy full time. There are rules and parameters in place that Olivia is unfamiliar with, which will take some getting used to. We see Fitz feeling a little overwhelmed with all that's on his plate and Olivia nervous about having a hard time conceiving. Also, they get caught again because they rarely use discretion with their PDA lol. I've finally decided where I'm going with the home renovation storyline, so renovations will be underway for the Grants. Next, Olivia's awards banquet and a trip to Santa Barbara. I miss writing Fitz's family, so we're going there. Let me know what you think! **


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Sorry for the double emails! I accidentally posted the same chapter twice! It shouldbe correct now! **

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><p>"I'm a little overwhelmed by this honor," Olivia stated as she looked out to a crowd full of D.C.'s most elite business owners. The day was finally here, and she truly in disbelief that she was being recognized for her achievements in business. Owning a business was tiresome, stressful and often unrewarding. To be selected by a distinguished committee was a humbling experience.<p>

"I appreciate the DMV Business Bureau and the national Small Business Bureau for this recognition. As everyone in this room knows, small businesses can be challenging. There are risks and unexpected difficulties that are hard to plan for. I am lucky to have the support of my community which is filled with the most loyal, warm, delightful patrons. Thank you for continuing to spread the word about us. Thank you for your business, which has allowed me to have the opportunity to open a second location. I'd like to thank my staff, which started out as a two people in my kitchen and has blossomed into a crew of almost twenty people. Lastly, I want to say thank you to my amazing husband for all of that you've done for me. He and his amazing agency handle my PR and advertising. Fitz, thank you for your support professionally. But most importantly, thank you for your love and devotion to our family. Thank you for all that you do for us. Thank you for being my pillar. I love you," she said. She looked directly at him as she finished her speech which was met with applause.

She stepped away from the microphone and mouthed another thank you before leaving the stage with her award. She was greeted with dozens of congratulations before she made her way back to her banquet table where her husband waited for her.

"That was great, Livvie," he said proudly, standing to hug and kiss her.

"It went by so fast," she replied, releasing adrenaline as she stood in his embrace.

"I told you it would. You had nothing to worry about."

_A few hours prior…_

_In her bra and underwear, she paced their bedroom as she tried to get ready for the evening. She had managed to shower, get her hair styled, her make-up and nails done, pack for their trip to Santa Barbara and feed Charlotte without getting nervous. Now, the moment she needed to put on her red Michael Kors dress, her nerves got the best of her. _

_Fitz watched from the door frame as his wife seemingly tried to burn a hole through the floor with her pacing. _

"_Liv," he said quietly trying to get her attention. _

"_I'm fine, Fitz" she said, putting her hand up before giving him a chance to truly speak. _

"_You are not fine," he stated as he came fully into the room. He sat on the edge of their bed and patted his thighs, wordlessly asking her to join him. _

"_I'm fine," she said again as she continued to pace._

"_Honey, come here," he said firmly._

_She sighed and rolled her eyes. She stopped pacing and stared at him from the middle of the floor, giving him a pointed look. He returned her critical expression. She sighed once more and made her way to him knowing that he would not relent. She sat on his lap, and he could feel her shaking in his arms as he held her tightly. _

"_I'm nervous," she whispered. "I've never given a speech like this before. And there are going to be a lot of important people there. What if I mess up? What if I make myself look bad and say something stupid? What if I turn people off and they won't want to come to the bakery?"_

_He smiled and kissed her forehead, careful not to mess up her makeup. "None of those things are going to happen. So you can worry yourself into a tizzy if you want, but I promise you that you're going to be amazing. You always are. If anything, I should be nervous," he said._

_She raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Why?"_

"_Because you look so fucking beautiful, I'm either going to get arrested for decking whatever idiot looks at you the wrong way or for public indecency when I try to have my way with you while we're there."_

_She laughed and threw her head back. "Neither of those things are happening, mister."_

"_You never know."_

"_I do know. That is not happening. I can assure you," she said as he slid his hand between her legs _

"_Baby, not right now. We absolutely don't have time. Seriously," she said sternly. _

_He looked at his watch and knew she was right. He kissed her soundly on the lips. "You look unbelievably gorgeous. You are going to do great tonight. You're going to be your normal eloquent self, and it's going to be over before you know it." he said confidently. _

"_Thank you," she said with a smile. Just like that, his words and his support eased her nerves. She felt more than prepared to give her speech. _

Her husband was right. Her speech was a success and the night was going well. She was completely relaxed and buzzing now that her speech was over. They couldn't stay for the duration of the ceremony as they were slated to catch the last flight to Santa Barbara.

"Are you ready?" she asked him, swaying in his arms.

"I am. We've got to pick up our luggage and Charlotte, change clothes, and be on our way."

"God, I hope Charlotte sleeps through this or her entire schedule will be thrown off. It's bad enough that there's a time difference."

"It will be fine. My parents are over the moon about seeing her. It's been a few months since they've seen her in person."

She smiled and broke out of his embrace only to grab his hand. "Let's catch this flight," she said before leading them out of the banquet hall.

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><p>"Where's my Charlie girl?" Big Jerry asked as soon as Fitz, Olivia and Charlotte came through the front door of the ranch. Big Jerry and Judy were waiting in the foyer for their arrival. It was close to two in the morning, and all parties looked exhausted. Since they landed so late, they decided to stay the night at his parents' before leaving for the beach first thing in the morning for some alone time. Excited didn't begin to describe the feeling Jerry and Judy had knowing they were taking care of their granddaughter for the weekend.<p>

Big Jerry reached for Charlotte who was sleeping in her mother's arms. Olivia carefully passed Charlotte to her eager grandfather.

"Sssh," Judy said to her boisterous husband, nervous that he would wake up the sleeping infant. She moved closer to her husband and kissed Charlotte's head. She was already in footie pajamas and ready to be put to bed.

"He's fine. She can sleep through anything," Olivia said as she looked at her adorable sleeping baby. Her heart raced as she noticed Charlotte snoring.

"My little angel is exhausted," Jerry said when he too heard her light snores.

"Do you have a humidifier?" Olivia asked Judy nervously, knowing that the change in dry heat was affecting her daughter's breathing.

"We have one in your room. Fitz sent me a long list of things we needed for Charlotte's stay. We bought a new one just for her. It's pink," Judy said proudly. "We set up her crib in your room for the time being. I figured you'd want to be with her for the night since it's a new environment. But we can move it back to the nursery if you'd like."

"You have a nursery here?" Olivia asked, completely surprised.

"Of course we do. She's our grandbaby. We converted one of the guest bedrooms to a nursery when Fitz told us you wanted us to keep her," Big Jerry informed her.

"Thank you," Olivia said, stunned by their consideration. She was now relieved instead of nervous to leave Charlotte in their hands.

She smiled at her husband, loving that he made a list for his parents without her having to ask or suggest it. The way he loved and took care of his daughter made her fall more in love with him. She grabbed his hand and gave him a peck on the lips.

"We're going to head up," Fitz said, letting go of his wife's hand to give his parents hugs before bed. Olivia followed suit and took Charlotte from Jerry as Fitz grabbed their luggage and went up the stairs to their bedroom.

* * *

><p>In an oversized sweater and rolled up jeans, Olivia strolled the beach with her husband who was donning a cable knit sweater and jeans. The sound of the waves crashing on the cliffs was by far the most tranquil sound. She loved it and wished they could hear it more often. They brought a blanket along with them so they could enjoy the sun set together. She could not get close enough to him as they held hands and walked beside each other. He rubbed her arm up and down with his free hand, and still wasn't enough for her. They walked until they found a secluded portion of the beach, which was relatively easy since it was the off season. Olivia helped Fitz unfold their blanket and place it on the sand before taking their spots on it.<p>

When they settled, she sat impossibly close to him. He didn't mind in the slightest. All he wanted for weeks was to be alone with her, and now that he had it, he wasn't taking it for granted.

"I'm so glad we're here," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

He picked up their joined hands and kissed her knuckles, his lips brushing the large diamond on her finger. "Me too," he agreed.

"I just feel so relaxed here. Everything stressful just disappears."

"I know."

"I want a home here. Right on the beach."

"You have a home here."

"Technically yes. But it's the family's. I want _us_ to have a home on the beach. Not now of course. But when all the kids are grown up. Maybe when we're empty nesters."

"If that's what you want, we can make something happen," he said. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "And maybe even before the kids are out of the house. I think it will be nice for them to have something here. I have so many memories of this beach and this house from my childhood."

"Yeah? Like what?"

He smiled as he recalled bonding with his family. "My parents use to bring us out here before they decided on buying the house. They would bring us out here for the day, and we would throw Frisbees around and boogie board. There use to be an ice cream shop less than a mile away. We would all bike to it and get the biggest scoops of their homemade ice cream. When I got a little older, we would do the same thing, but instead of boogie boarding, I learned to surf."

"You know how to surf?" she asked, surprised she'd never known that about him.

"I do. I used to be pretty good at it. I haven't done it in years. When Mellie and I decided to divorce, I spent a few weeks out here by myself and hopped on a board. I surprised myself because I picked up again. I did regularly until a few summers ago,"

She was immediately intrigued by his mention of his divorce. Though Mellie had recently become a regular topic of conversation, their divorce was not. She could count on one hand how many times he'd mentioned it in detail.

"You came here during the divorce?" she asked.

"Yep. For about three weeks."

"Wow. What did you do here?"

"Spent time with family, did a lot of thinking, soul searching I guess you could say. It sounds cheesy, but…"

"No. It doesn't sound cheesy. How did you cope? Was being here helpful?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow at her. He wasn't sure why she was suddenly interested in his divorce. It gave him pause for concern, and she could feel his hesitation to elaborate.

"I'm just curious. It sounds like our experiences were really different. I had you during mine. You helped me get through it. Did you have someone?"

"Not really. Not at all."

"I wish you had someone. Having you was a Godsend. It was a distraction. It gave me perspective. It made it easier in a lot of ways."

He simply shrugged and replied, "I am thankful to have that alone time here. It's what I needed."

"I couldn't have done it alone," she said as she placed a kissed on atop his hand and smiled. "I needed you just as much then as I do now."

His heart swelled. As their relationship progressed, she was far more open and vulnerable to him. He loved it, and she knew it.

"I'm glad I could be there for you. I wouldn't have had it any other way. I couldn't. I was so drawn to you during that time. All I wanted was to protect you," he admitted.

"I know. And you did. You remember that night I met your brother and Kim for the first time?"

"How could I forget? I would like to, but…"

"You would like to forget?" she questioned, a bit taken aback by his remarks.

"I could have been arrested. I choked your ex in the middle of the street. He said that gross thing…"

"It was the night you told me you loved me for the first time," she reminded him. "I will never forget. I don't want to ever forget. Despite the craziness that went down, when you said that to me, in that moment, I felt whole and not broken for the first time in a long time. I felt so cared for and loved that night. It was one of the moments I knew you were it for me." She paused for a moment before speaking again, "I don't think I could function properly if we ever divorced, Fitz," she said seriously.

"We aren't."

"We thought that the first time around, too," she replied.

"Do you seriously think there's a chance that we would split up? Would you have married me if that were true?" he asked rhetorically.

She answered anyway. "No, but it would be naïve to believe that it's beyond the realm of possibility."

"It's beyond the realm of possibility," he assured her.

"I'm not doubting our relationship. You are everything to me, and you know that. I'm just saying if something like that happened. I could not get through it."

"Me neither, but that's just not going to happen. We've been through so much already. We can make it through whatever else life gives us."

"What if I did something awful? What if I cheated? Would you still want to be with me?"

"That's a terrible thought, but I probably would. I would be devastated, but I know that I would still love you."

"I would never cheat on you for the record. Ever. I could never. But if you cheated on me, I couldn't stay with you. I've obviously done it before, but I would make myself leave just for my sanity and for the kids. Even if I still loved you, I couldn't be with you anymore," she said honestly.

"Why are we talking about this? It's so grim. I'm never going to cheat on you either, so there's really nothing to discuss."

"You brought up your divorce, which you've rarely done in the course of our relationship, and I was just curious."

"I only brought it up because you were interested in my surfing," he said, wanting to change the subject.

"I don't know how I'm just learning that I'm married to a surfer dude."

"I wouldn't say all that," he said with a smile.

"When was the last time you went surfing?" she asked.

"Jon and I taught Jerry, Karen and Cam how to surf a few summers back."

"Can you teach me?"

"Of course," he said with a smile. "I would love to see you out there. It'd be pretty funny."

"Funny?"

"Baby, you know and I both know you're more of a have a glass of wine and read a book kind of beach goer."

"Fitz, I use to swim all the time."

"In pools."

She scoffed and shook her head. "You just wait 'til you see me out there one day."

"I don't doubt it. You're going to be a natural. You always pick up things quickly."

"Now I can't get the image of you surfing out of my head," she said. "And I don't think I want to," she added, leaning in to kiss his neck.

"Shirtless or wetsuit?" she asked.

"Depends on the season."

"God, I'm sure you're hot either way," she mumbled.

"What?" he asked with a chuckle. Olivia was far from ashamed to openly lust for her husband.

She climbed in his lap and straddled him. She kissed his lips instead of repeating herself.

He wrapped his arms around her waist as she inched closer and closer to him. She held him by the back of his neck and slowly slipped her tongue in his mouth. When she felt his tongue gliding against hers, her skin tingled, and goosebumps formed from her legs to the back of her neck. Their lips touched countless times, but she would never tire of him kissing her. She hoped it always felt this exhilarating.

She inadvertently rocked back and forth in his lap as their lips collided, causing his member to grow with her every movement. She gasped when she could finally feel his erection through his pants. She pushed him back on the blanket and kissed him from his neck to his chest, over his shirt, sliding down his body until she reached his pelvis.

She hurriedly unbuttoned his jeans and tried to push them down before he halted her.

"Wait. Should we…home," he managed to say.

She raised an eyebrow and looked around her. The beach was completely secluded and the sun was going down. Consumed by her love and attraction for him, she saw nothing wrong with their very public display of affection until she noticed a golden retriever and a twenty something couple in the distance. As he sat up, she crawled up his body, buried her face his neck, and groaned. He held her by one arm and rubbed her back up and down.

"Let's head back," he whispered. She quickly stood and helped him up. They folded their blanket together before joining hands and walking back to the beach house.

"You better be ready to drop those panties as soon as we reach the door," he joked a she intertwined their fingers. She giggled and rested her head on his shoulder as they strolled slowly.

"If this wasn't a family friendly community, I would drop them right now."

"You wait 'til we get home," he said in a playful, low tone.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do to me?" she asked mischievously.

Without pause, he squeezed her hand and responded, "I'm going to taste you until your knees go weak, your body goes numb, and you have tears in your eyes, and you're begging me to stop. But I won't," he began.

Before he could speak again, Olivia stopped walking, halting his movements, and pulled him to her. She cradled the side of his face and kissed him hungrily. She let go of him and ran ahead of him. Once he processed that she was racing him back the short distance to their home, he ran to catch her. She didn't think he would catch up with her, but when she looked over her shoulder he was on her trail. With the blanket over his shoulder, he finally caught up to her. In one swift move, he picked her up and walked with her in his arms. She clung to him, with her arm around his neck in a fit of giggles as they reached the back entrance of their home. When he delicately set her on her feet, she pushed passed him and went through the gate. She quickly ran up four steps until she was standing on their deck.

She took a moment to take in the scene around her. She loved the deck of the beach house. It was large, private and provided the perfect view of the ocean and the cliffs. It took her breath away, especially at sunrise and sunset. She turned to her husband who had followed her closely and found him staring at her with the same hunger and anticipation in his eyes that shimmered in hers.

She smiled at him and grabbed his hand as she opened the French door that led to their open concept living room and kitchen. As she walked through the threshold, she couldn't help but think about some of the encounters they had in this house on almost every imaginable surface, including that glass door.

She led him inside and surveyed the room, looking for the perfect spot to undress for him. She pulled him in front of a beige sofa facing an eclectic fireplace and mantle in the living room. He took a seat and watched her as she stood a three feet away from him. He removed his shirt as he watched her take off her sweater. When she eased out of her jeans, he began to remove his jeans and boxer briefs as well. Before she could even process it, he moved toward her and grabbed her by the waist. He leaned down to suck on her bottom lip before prodding her tongue with his. He reached inside her lace, black underwear to feel her desire. Her moans filled the room as he cupped her heat and stroked her clit with two fingers.

Perhaps it was something in the air, their increasingly growing desire for each other or the fact that they were alone on a completely different coast without the worry of a baby monitor or an annoying phone call, but something felt different between them. They both felt completely uninhibited. He slid his finger inside her heat, and pumped in and out of her while biting her lower bottom lip. His movements were unusually rough, and she loved every moment of it. Without a word being uttered, she knew that he wanted and needed to be in charge and in full control. She whimpered and frowned when he removed his finger before she found release, but she didn't complain, wanting to follow his lead.

"Get on your knees," he said firmly.

Without hesitation, she got on her knees and looked up at him in anticipation for his next command.

"Take off your bra," he insisted sternly.

She quickly reached behind her to unclasp her bra, but her movements were too quick for his liking.

"Slow," he instructed.

She obliged, unhurriedly sliding the straps of her bra down her shoulders at a pace that she knew he would find titillating.

"Let me feel your lips," he said once her breasts were unconfined.

"Where?" she asked cheekily.

"You know where," he said as he took a few steps back.

On her knees, she inched closer to him and until she was near enough to reach and stroke his length. His knees grew weak, his legs unsteady as she rubbed his rigid member with one hand. The moment she wrapped her lips around him, he threaded his fingers in her hair. She relinquished control, allowing him to control the pace by guiding her head and pulling her hair to meet his needs. With his eyes firmly shut, he groaned and grunted, making unintelligible remarks, until she freed his shaft from her mouth only to twirl her tongue around the tip. He opened his eyes and found her staring up at him, waiting on his next move. She didn't want him to finish in any other place, but inside of her.

"Hands and knees," he instructed gruffly.

She positioned herself on her hands and knees on the area of the hardwood floor that was covered by a rug and looked back at him, waiting for him to join her. His face was fully concentrated, and his mind was focused on one thing as he got down on the floor with her.

He hovered over her, kissing her back up and down and palming her ass, making her hiss and moan, before caressing her entrance with his member.

With a clinched fist, she hit the floor, thankful for the rug beneath, and trying her hardest to hold her composure. She couldn't handle anymore of his teasing as much as he wanted him to be in control.

"Put it in," she whispered without thinking. He halted his ministrations on her entrance upon hearing her words. He slapped her ass in response. Surprised by his gesture, she gasped and moaned at the contact.

He grabbed a hand full of her hair and tugged it. "What do you say?" he asked sternly.

"Put it in," she repeated quietly. He slapped her ass again, and she shivered. The feel of his hands on her bottom and the anticipation of him entering her made her desire grow tenfold.

"What do you say?" he responded.

"Put it in, babe, Fitz, please, sir?" she rattled off, trying to think of any and all of the words to get him to enter her.

He chuckled and slid inside of her, wasting no time thrashing into her body. Her knees roughly rubbed the area rug as he relentlessly hammered into her.

"SHIT," she yelled. Her body quivered as he consistently pounded into her frame.

When she was unable to balance herself, she rested her upper body on the floor with her ass perched in the air, the new angle causing him to slide deeper inside her.

"Baby. Baby," she cried desperately.

"What? What do you want?" he asked before slapping her ass again and thrusting forward.

"You," she whispered. He was pounding into her with so much fury, her knees couldn't stay in position. She allowed her body to fall forward, laying flat on the floor. He slipped out of her, but followed her down. With his body pressed into hers, resting on top of her, he entered her and continued to pump in and out of her tirelessly. She hit the floor with an open palm as he moved against her. He left kisses on every portion of skin he could reach.

"I'm coming. Baby, you're making me come!" she screamed when she reached the pinnacle of her breaking point. Her moans and screams were alarmingly loud, but neither cared as his groans began to match her sounds. He pulled out of her and lifted slightly so that he could turn her over. With her back on the floor and her legs now wrapped around his back, Fitz plunged into her. She pulled him close and kissed him as reached between her legs and stroked her clit.

"Fuck," he groaned before biting her lip and kissing her fully. She broke away from their sloppy lip lock and dug her teeth into his shoulder as she came once more. He soon followed her to the precipice, holding her close as he jerkily filled her.

She giggled when he collapsed on top of her. He breathed heavily into her neck as he held her tight, refusing to release her from his grasp. The weight of his body on hers was the most delightful pressure. Nervous that he'd hurt her, he lifted off of her and picked her up and hurriedly carried her to the shower.

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><p>In hour and a half later, fresh faced with her hair pulled up in a high bun, Olivia met her husband on the deck with two glasses of wine. He was seated on a large wicker sectional in front of a fire pit. She wore a pair of active wear leggings, a cotton camisole and cashmere cardigan while he donned a t-shirt and sweatpants. They were both comfortable and relaxed. He couldn't help but notice how shapely her butt looked in her pants.<p>

"Your ass is perfect," he whispered as he reached to squeeze her cheeks.

She giggled and playfully shook her ass for him. "Thank you," she replied as she set their wine glasses down on a side table and sat down next to him. "Your ass is perfect, too," she said through giggles. "And so are your abs, and your chest, and your arms," she rattled off. "Damn your arms," she said quietly as she scooted close to him and cuddled.

She took a sip of wine and took a moment to reflect on the day's events. "Is it bad that I want to call your parents and check on Charlotte?" she asked.

Smiled and shook his head. "No, but we're not going to."

"Why?" she whined.

"One, Charlotte is probably asleep. Two, we said we wouldn't encroach on their time with her. They don't get to see her often."

"I know, but I miss my baby. I've never spent a night away from her," she responded with a pout.

"She's perfectly fine and fast asleep I promise you, but we can call her now if it will make you feel better."

She sighed and shook her head. "It's fine. I'll call in the morning."

"Maybe we can bring her to the beach before we fly out."

"Can we? Baby, I would love that. She would love that. I know it's supposed to be just us here, but…"

"No it's perfectly fine. She's never been to a beach before why not have her experience it while we're here."

She nodded in agreement and lifted her legs up and placed them in his lap. Her legs and knees were unbelievably sore. She pulled her leggings so that she could see her knees. She was unsurprised to see redness on her kneecaps.

"My knees have crazy rug burn because of you," she said.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he replied as he looked down at her legs and rubbed them soothingly.

"It's alright. Could be worse."

"Yeah? What's worse than rug burn?"

"Bruising, chafing, scraping. All of which you've done to me in the past, mister."

"All of which _you_ have done to _me_," he corrected.

"You like it," she teased.

He shook his head and pulled her closer to him as he sunk down onto the couch. She rested her head on his chest and could feel and hear his heart racing. His breathing was noticeably shallow.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she grabbed his hand and looked up at him.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure? Would you tell me?"

He nodded and squeezed her tight. "I'd tell you. Of course I would," he assured her. He kissed the top of her head for good measure.

She sighed and took in the view. The moon shined so bright that even in the dark she could see the ocean perfectly. The sound of the waves was quickly lulling her to sleep. The moment she was about to drift into a slumber her husband's voice interrupted her.

"I'm a little nervous about the expansion," he said quietly.

She heard him clearly, but was slightly disoriented from the near sleep she was falling into. She took a moment and then looked up at him.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. I am."

"What are you nervous about?" she asked, turning to face him.

"It's just such a huge commitment financially. It's going to be time consuming. I'm nervous we're a bit too aggressive. I kind of wish…" he started and then paused.

"What?"

"I kinda wish we'd done a slower acquisition."

"Do you think you did enough research?"

"Yes. Very thorough maybe to a fault."

"What's the worst case scenario?"

"Worst case is we buy this company and the software company their attached to bails."

"Let's imagine that happens. What would you do? Would you have to let anyone go? Reallocate resources?"

"Not necessarily. We'd have to get more contracts to make-up for the loss of the sell, preferably a big one versus a lot of small ones. I wouldn't have to fire anyone. We need the manpower. We're going to have to hire 15 new people within the next six months anyway."

"What are the odds that the software company attached to Emerge will bail?"

"Right now, pretty slim."

"It seems like the risks with this expansion are pretty low."

"Yeah. I guess they are."

"And the potential is really high."

"It is."

"I understand why you're nervous. It's a big move, but it's a careful move. It's smart move. You were headed in this direction anyway."

He nodded his head in agreement, appreciating that he could think through the expansion with his wife.

"Are you nervous about being away from the kids more often?" she asked, feeling like there was more to his anxiety than he was letting on.

He sighed and response and closed his eyes, pushing his hands through his hair.

"I just want to be there for them. There are so many small moments that I already miss when I'm gone, and I'm only in Atlanta a week every month or every other month. Now, I could be there for weeks at a time until everything transitions okay."

"Well this is partly why you bought the house in Atlanta. We knew this was a possibility in the future. We knew that you would be splitting your time."

"I don't want to split my time more than I have to when I have an eight month old baby girl I need to be present for and a son who just moved in with me during the week. And now that Mellie has weekends, I don't even know when I'll be able to see him."

"I will fly to you whenever I can. I will be there on any of my free days, and we can swap with Mellie on the weeks that you're in Atlanta. I love Atlanta, and I want to be there with you, and I will be. Every weekend you are there and I'm free I will fly to you, okay?"

"Okay."

She crawled in his lap and straddled him. She cupped his face in her hands and rubbed her nose against his.

"Everything is going to be okay with the expansion, baby, I promise. You're amazing at your job. So bold and smart."

He smiled at his wife's sincere words of encouragement and breathed a sigh of relief as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"No more work talk," he replied.

"We can talk about work as much as you need to," she said.

He brushed his lips on hers before kissing her fully. "The only thing I need is to be _here_ with you. Just enjoying this moment," he said when he pulled away.

They settled again in a comfortable silence, continuing to listen to the waves and allowing the serenity of the beach to the wash over them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just some Olitz sexy times. Not too much happening, but a lot happening here. She accepts the award, and they go to California. The grandparents are on baby duty, and they have some overdue time alone. A few important conversations about divorce and his job. Thoughts on these fronts? Next chapter, we'll still be in California, and we'll see more of his family. Just a warning, it may get a little tense next chapter. <strong>


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